Pakistan Premier Sharif hails ‘enduring bond’ with Azerbaijan, Türkiye

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday hailed the enduring bond among Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye, describing the three nations as "brothers whose hearts beat together."

Addressing a ceremony in Baku marking the fifth anniversary of Azerbaijan's Victory Day, Premier Sharif lauded the Pakistani and Turkish contingents marching alongside Azerbaijani forces, calling it a "proud and scintillating moment" that symbolizes the unbreakable friendship among the brotherly nations.

"Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye, three brothers whose hearts beat together, are present here today, along with our brothers from the UAE, standing shoulder to shoulder, celebrating this momentous occasion," he said.

Recalling the four-day conflict between Pakistan and India in May this year, Sharif thanked Türkiye and Azerbaijan for standing behind Islamabad in every difficult time.

"The entire world witnessed how the great people and resolute leadership of Azerbaijan and Türkiye stood firmly with Pakistan during the four-day war with India," he said.

Sharif hailed Azerbaijan's victory in Karabakh as a glorious vindication of a just cause and a beacon of hope for nations striving for sovereignty, including the people of Gaza and Indian-administered Kashmir.

There was no immediate reaction from New Delhi over Sharif's latest remarks.

Most of the Karabakh region, which had been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades, was liberated by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement and also opened the door to normalization with Yerevan.

On Nov. 8, the Azerbaijani army liberated the city of Shusha, which was later declared as Victory Day by a presidential decree.

Initially, Victory Day was to be celebrated on Nov. 10, the day of the end of the Second Karabakh War, but this was later changed due to coinciding with the anniversary of the passing of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye.