ISLAMABAD, Monday, May 05, 2025 (WNP): Pakistan and Azerbaijan on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including defence production and green energy, during back-to-back high-level meetings held in Islamabad.
Azerbaijani Ambassador Khazar Farhadov met separately with Federal Minister for Defence Production Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj and Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik to explore new avenues of strategic and economic collaboration.
In his meeting with Minister Harraj, Ambassador Farhadov was warmly welcomed and assured of Pakistan’s strong desire to expand defence ties with Azerbaijan. According to an official press release, Harraj praised the existing level of cooperation but stressed there remained significant untapped potential in the defence sector.
Highlighting Pakistan’s advanced defence industrial base and skilled workforce, the minister offered Azerbaijan collaboration in various areas, including consultancy, technical expertise, and defence training programs.
Ambassador Farhadov thanked the Pakistani government for its ongoing support in developing Azerbaijan’s defence industry and lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Defence Production in fostering closer military-industrial ties between the two nations.
Later, in a separate meeting with Minister Musadik Malik, discussions turned to environmental collaboration and investment opportunities in Pakistan’s burgeoning green economy.
Minister Malik invited Azerbaijan to participate in carbon trading and renewable energy ventures, describing Pakistan as a promising yet largely untapped market for green investments.
“Pakistan is positioning itself as a regional hub for green industry,” Malik said. “We welcome international partnerships that are both commercially viable and environmentally sustainable.”
He highlighted Pakistan’s potential for carbon credit projects in areas such as forestry and mangrove conservation—initiatives he said could deliver high returns for Azerbaijani investors.
Ambassador Farhadov expressed keen interest in exploring joint ventures in solar energy and sustainable technologies. He also noted the growing people-to-people connections, revealing that over 250,000 Pakistani tourists visited Azerbaijan in 2023 alone.
Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and economic innovation.
“These partnerships could usher in a new era of trade, technology, and trust between our two countries,” Minister Malik concluded.
The meetings reflect a growing momentum in Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations, as both countries seek to diversify their bilateral agenda beyond traditional areas and toward sustainable, forward-looking collaboration.
