Azerbaijani-Pakistani business persons meet in Islamabad

By AzerNews

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) has organized Pak-Azerbaijan Business Forum to highlight the trade and business opportunities between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, Pakistani media reported on Tuesday.

Ambassadors from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, also the officials from the Embassies of Turkey, Uzbekistan, and scholars attended the forum to address the Pakistani business community.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Pakistan Dashgin Sharirov, said that Azerbaijan strongly desires to further enhance its bilateral, economic and commercial ties with Pakistan.

He said that Azerbaijan has huge reserves of oil and gas and expertise in the energy sector, while Pakistan has expertise in agriculture sector and dairy products which can work to the corresponding country's benefit.

Therefore, both countries could cooperate in these areas to further enhance their bilateral relations, he added.

ICCI President Zafar Bakhtawar said Pakistan attached great importance to enhance its relationship with all Central Asian countries and ECO region.

He said that Pakistan is keen to strengthen its cooperation with Azerbaijan, especially in energy field to overcome the adverse effects of energy crisis on its economy.

Bakhtawar also noted that there should be direct air link between Pakistan and all Central Asian countries. He informed the meeting that the ICCI also requested Turkish Airline to consider connecting Istanbul and Islamabad via Baku-Dushanbe-Ashkhabad which would directly establish direct air link of Pakistan with Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.

Dr Muhammad Masoom Yasinzai, Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University and International Islamic University and Dr Abdul Basit, Chancellor Preston University emphasised on knowledge-based economy and said both countries should cooperate in education sector by opening branches of universities in each country.

They also lauded the initiative of Embassy of Azerbaijan for announcing 36 education scholarships for the deserving students of Pakistan.

They said Pakistan and Central Asian states could work together and avail the expertise of one another in the areas of research, information technology and scientific cooperation as well as inter university collaborations between the two counties could be greatly helpful for the socio-economic development of the region.

Pakistan was one of the first countries that recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on December 12, 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established in 1992. The Embassy of Pakistan to Azerbaijan was opened in 1993. Embassy of Azerbaijan to Pakistan was opened in 1997.

The two countries enjoy close friendly relationship between them and the two countries have supported each other in regional and international issues.