Pakistan & Azerbaijan are intertwined in shared socio-cultural values & mutual interests: Raja Pervez Ashraf

ISLAMABAD, May 12 (SABAH): Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that Pakistan and Azerbaijan are intertwined in shared socio-cultural values and mutual interests. He said that both countries enjoyed unanimitiy of view on regional and international issues. He also said that the people of subcontinent especially all Pakistanis have special spiritual affiliation with all central Asian States including Azerbaijan.

He expressed these views during his meeting with Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Pakistan Khazar Farhadov who called on him in Parliament House on Thursday.

The Speaker said that enhancing Parliament to Parliament contacts would take existing bilateral relations to new heights. He said that Azerbaijan has an important role in Parliamentary Association of ECO. The Speaker said that Pakistan Parliamentary delegation would actively participate in the PAECO moot being held in Baku this month. Reiterating Pakistan principled stance on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Speaker said that Pakistan had and will always supports unequivocally the right of Azerbaijan.

While appreciating the establishment of Urdu Chair in Baku Univeristy, he said that this would bring people of both countries together. He also proposed that the same should be reciprocated by establishing Azerbaijan Study centre in Universities of Pakistan. He also proposed that both countries can harness their ties by increasing cooperation in the field of energy and trade. Referring to the immense potential in tourism sector, he proposed measures to reap the benefits for mutual benefit.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov said that his country also attaches immense importance to its relations with Pakistan. He expressed his gratitude for support of Pakistan to the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. He reiterated his country’s support to Pakistan’s principled stance on issue of Kashmir.

He said that Azeri investors would certainly like to take part in the economic activity in Pakistan. He said that both countries have immense tourism potential and both can take socio-economic benefits by exploring opportunities in tourism sector. He informed that visa process for Azerbaijan has been made easy and Pakistani national can get visa in less than an hour. He also proposed that there should be direct flight between both countries.

He said that Azeri Parliamentary leadership was eagerly looking torward to the visit of Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf to attend the PAECO conference in Baku.