Islamabad: A ceremony marking the 108th Independence Day of Azerbaijan was held in Islamabad, with Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan serving as the chief guest. The event was hosted by Azerbaijan’s Ambassador, Khazar Farhadov, and attended by numerous high-profile dignitaries, including Chairman Senate Syed Yosuf Raza Gilani and Federal Minister for Law & Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, among others.

According to Press Information Department, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, in his keynote address, extended congratulations on behalf of the Pakistani government, celebrating Azerbaijan’s establishment as the first parliamentary republic in the Muslim world in 1918. He praised Azerbaijan’s economic progress and its role in global connectivity through transport corridors like the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Khan highlighted Pakistan’s early recognition of Azerbaijan’s independence in 1991 and commended the efforts of late Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev in strengthening bilateral ties.

The Federal Minister pointed to the Preferential Trade Agreement and Transit Trade Agreement as indicators of regional integration efforts. He noted President Aliyev’s exemption of customs duties on Pakistani rice imports and the increase in air links, which facilitated travel for nearly 90,000 Pakistanis to Azerbaijan last year. Khan reaffirmed the mutual support between the two countries on sovereignty issues, expressing gratitude for Azerbaijan’s support on Kashmir and reiterating Pakistan’s stance on Nagorno-Karabakh. The ceremony featured national songs and documentaries on Azerbaijan’s culture and history.