Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on Thursday as the distinguished guest arrived in Islamabad for a two-day official visit at the invitation of the Pakistani premier.

President Aliyev was received with ceremonial honors at the Pakistan Air Force’s Nur Khan base, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi greeted him. The reception included a traditional red carpet welcome and a 21-gun salute in honor of the visiting leader.

During his stay, President Aliyev is scheduled to engage in crucial meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz, President Asif Ali Zardari, and other senior officials. The discussions aim to bolster bilateral cooperation, with expectations of signing several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between Islamabad and Baku.

Earlier reports indicated that President Zardari would host a banquet in honor of President Aliyev, and the Azeri leader would also meet with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir. Discussions between the foreign ministers of both countries are slated to take place at the Foreign Office, as reported by The News.

Looking ahead, Pakistan anticipates visits from five other heads of state in the coming months, including Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar’s Emir Tamim al-Thani, and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In April of this year, Pakistan hosted the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for a productive three-day visit, during which bilateral discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in trade, connectivity, energy, and people-to-people contacts. President Raisi held meetings with various Pakistani dignitaries, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Chief of Army Staff General Munir, among others, during his visit to Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi.

President Raisi was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Iranian foreign minister, cabinet members, senior officials, and a substantial business delegation, highlighting the growing ties between Pakistan and Iran.