Azerbaijan-Pakistan economic collaboration set to expand as significant initiatives are well on the way to enhance trade, investment, B2B (Business to Business) and people-to-people ties.
“We are going to establish Azerbaijan Trade Center in Lahore and Pakistan-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce to bring the business communities of both countries closer and open new avenues for mutual cooperation”, said Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov while speaking here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Monday.
LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad and Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman also spoke
on the occasion while LCCI Executive Committee Members, including Khurram Lodhi, Ahsan Shahid, Asif Malik, Asif Khan, Waqas Aslam, Abdul Majeed, Karamat Ali Awan, Riaz Shahid, Aamir Ali, Aamna Randhawa, Ali Imran and former Executive Committee Member Abdul Wadud Alvi were also present.
The ambassador said that Azerbaijan had a lot of respect and affection for Pakistani nation and is committed to strengthening bilateral ties. He highlighted the duty-free access granted to Pakistani rice by Azerbaijan until 2027, encouraging traders to capitalize on this opportunity, especially considering Punjab’s reputation for producing high-quality Basmati rice. He assured that Azerbaijani authorities would provide maximum facilitation to Pakistani traders exploring opportunities in Azerbaijan.
Referring to the positive impact of direct flights between the two countries, the ambassador revealed that bilateral trade volume has tripled since 2022, growing from USD 10 million to significantly higher levels. He said that over 80,000 Pakistanis visited Azerbaijan last year which reflects the growing interest and people-to-people connections.
The ambassador also invited Pakistani investors to explore opportunities in Azerbaijan’s infrastructure and energy sectors and highlighted the country’s strategic position as a key international transport corridor between Asia and Europe. He highlighted Azerbaijan’s strong trade surplus and assured robust support for potential collaborations.