Pakistani PM arrives in Baku
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif arrived in Azerbaijan for an official visit on October 13.
A guard of honor was lined up for the Pakistani prime minister at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, decorated with the national flags of Azerbaijan and Pakistan.
The Pakistani PM was welcomed by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Ali Ahmadov and other officials at the airport.
Pakistan became the second country after Turkey which recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on June 9, 1992.
Pakistan supported Azerbaijan during and after the Nagorno-Karabakh War and it is the only country that does not recognize Armenia. Pakistan also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the genocide against the civilian population of Khojaly, which was committed by Armenian armed forces.
Although the countries enjoy very close and friendly relations at a diplomatic level, these close ties have not been translated into significant commercial gains.
The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Pakistan amounted to $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2016, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.
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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli
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