Daily Times

A local online newspaper of Azerbaijan published an article revealing “secret contact” between the ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan and Armenia on January 10, 2020. It also mentioned a visit of a Pakistani team to Yerevan, Armenia in March 2019. The gist of the article is that Pakistan wants to establish diplomatic relations and military cooperation with Armenia. The rumour is absolutely unsubstantial.

Since 1991, Pakistan and Azerbaijan have had cordial relations. Not only do they share the commonality of history (Caravanserai Multani), politics and religion domestically, but on the international forums both countries support each other wherever and whenever it is needed. In 2019, the president of Pakistan visited Baku; it brought the two countries even closer. On October 28, 2019, President Alvi gave an interview to Azerbaijani media in Baku in which he reiterated: “The bilateral relationship between Azerbaijan and Pakistan has [had] great importance for Pakistan.” He strongly appreciated “the support of the Azerbaijan government and people on Jammu and Kashmir’s cause.”

Pakistan is also the only country that did not recognise Armenia because of Pakistan-Azerbaijan cordial relations. Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) contact group meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 23, 2019, arguing that “the world must put pressure on Armenia to liberate Azerbaijani areas and stop aggression against the Azerbaijani nation.”

Moreover, Pakistan also demands the immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from Nagorno-Karabakh to liberate Azerbaijani occupied lands. Similarly, Azerbaijan supports Pakistan on the Jammu and Kashmir issue and is also a member of the OIC Contact Group on Kashmir. That is why Pakistan has always refrained from establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia; the move would create a great problem in the relationship between Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

In a meeting attended by the president of Pakistan and Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz, Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Pakistan Ali Alizada said, “Azerbaijan’s industrial community is keen to invest in potential sectors of Pakistan,” including exchange of business delegations together with other opportunities for cooperation. According to the ambassador, “Azerbaijan wants to strengthen the economic and cultural ties along with mutual trade.” Pakistan with the operationalisation of CPEC and growing regional connectivity under the BRI will also have the two countries to cooperate in multiple areas-software development, information technology, and tourism-for generation of revenues.

In the recent years, Pakistan has also intensified its strategic partnership with both Turkey and Azerbaijan. It is believed that Pakistan-Turkey-Azerbaijan cooperation will have positive impact on the Karabakh conflict settlement process. As far as defence cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan is concerned, both countries signed a defence agreement in May 2003 that also resulted in Azerbaijan’s participation in Pakistan-led multinational exercise-AMAN-2013.Moreover, representatives of Pakistani and Azerbaijani armed forces met to discuss bilateral military cooperation in October 2018, wherein cooperation on the military hardware was also discussed. In March 2019, Azerbaijan’s Defence Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov visited Pakistan; the visit focused on development of security cooperation, military-technical, military-educational and other areas. Azerbaijan also wants to buy Pakistani JF-17 fighter jets and is using SU-25, MiG-21, MiG-29 and ten Super Mushak training aircrafts.

Recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan on the Upper Karabakh conflict on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said, “Pakistan values its close brotherly relations with Azerbaijan, which were based on historic, cultural and religious commonalities… Pakistan intends to further cement those relations through parliamentary and economic cooperation.”

As far as Pakistan’s stance on Armenia is concerned, Pakistan has always taken a position on Armenia on international platforms for strategic issues. It has always been with Azerbaijan at international events and has supported its right to vote. Pakistani parliament also adopted a resolution on the Khojaly genocide and the Armenian occupation. The article mentioned in the beginning also mentioned the issue of the Jammu and Kashmir conflict, claiming that Pakistan is not very happy with the response of Azerbaijan on that issue.

On August5, 2019, Indian government stripped Kashmir of its autonomy and unique regional identity through the revocation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state territory. The decision to rescind the statute comes was followed by an organised brutal crackdown, crippling any sign of life in the Valley and other parts of the region. In addition to further the miseries of long-suffering people of Kashmir, this legislation presents another impending challenge: escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. India’s appalling move to contravene its domestic and international commitments requires Pakistan to navigate its foreign policy options through pragmatism and dynamism.

Since 1991, Pakistan and Azerbaijan have had cordial relations. Both countries support each other wherever and whenever it is needed

Kashmir has also been regarded as the flash point of South Asia. India and Pakistan, sole nuclear weapon states of South Asia, should avoid going into another conflict over Kashmir. Pakistan is doing its part. Islamabad’s immediate priority was to step up its longstanding campaign to get the Kashmir issue on the global agenda and to get the world to condemn India’s policies. The worldwide media coverage of the brutal crackdown followed by the revocation of article 370 has internationalised the issue.

In this context, Pakistan wants every one of its friends to publicly support its position on Jammu and Kashmir. On its part, Azerbaijan has always stood by Pakistan on the Jammu and Kashmir issue. As Maulana Rumi said, “The wound is the place where the light enters.” According to the president of Azerbaijan during his meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, “We support each other on the issues of Kashmir and Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan fully supports the resolution of the Kashmir issue based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. Pakistan also fully supports the resolution of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Alizada said, “We support Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir.” He also called on Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Farman in Peshawar. The ambassador of Azerbaijan said that his country stands with Kashmiris in their struggle for the right of self-determination. Azerbaijan’s strict stance against the Indian occupation of Kashmir is going to further strengthen Pakistan-Azerbaijan friendship as well as mutual cooperation.

The writer is a researcher with Islamabad Policy Research Institute, Pakistan