Azerbaijan’s Victory Day solemnly celebrated in Pakistan

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Pakistan organized an official reception in connection with the third anniversary of Azerbaijan’s Victory Day, Azernews reports.

Pakistani Federal Caretaker Minister of Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi visited as the main guest. Besides, the Deputy Federal Minister for Defense Production Humayun Ahmed, senators, ambassadors, and diplomats of foreign countries in Pakistan, representatives of Pakistan's state institutions, public, cultural, and business circles, high-ranking officers of the Pakistani Armed Forces, media representatives, and Azerbaijanis living in Pakistan participated in the reception.

Ambassador Khazar Farhadov, speaking after the playing of the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Pakistan, pointed out that every year November 8 is celebrated as Victory Day in Azerbaijan, and the ambassador expressed his deep respect for the dear memory of the martyrs who died for Azerbaijan's independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.

The ambassador emphasized that Armenia occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory for nearly 30 years, committed war crimes in the occupied territories, and carried out ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis.

Noting that in 1993, the UN Security Council adopted 4 resolutions demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territory of Azerbaijan, the ambassador said that Armenia ignores the aforementioned resolutions and pointed out that this country does not respect the norms and principles of international law. He emphasized that Azerbaijan is trying to resolve the former Garabagh conflict through negotiations, but Armenia is trying to maintain the status quo and even regularly commits military provocations during the occupation period. Ambassador Farhadov pointed out that during the occupation of Armenia, cities and villages in Azerbaijan were razed to the ground, cultural and religious monuments were destroyed, and animals were kept in mosques, insulting Islamic values.

Speaking about the 44-day Patriotic War, the ambassador pointed out that Azerbaijan’s victorious army, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander in Chief of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, liberated Azerbaijani historical lands from the Armenian invasion in 2020 and restored the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The diplomat brought to the attention that on September 19 of the current year, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan conducted local anti-terror measures to prevent ongoing provocations by the Armenian Armed Forces in the Garabagh economic region, as well as ensure the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statement, withdraw the units of the Armed Forces of Armenia from Azerbaijani territories with abandoning weapons, neutralize their military infrastructure, and ensure the safety of civilian employees and military personnel involved in the restoration and reconstruction work carried out in the area, and restore the constitutional system of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Speaking about the large-scale restoration and reconstruction works carried out by the Government of Azerbaijan in the liberated territories, the Ambassador brought to the attention of the guests extensive information about Fuzuli, Zangilan, Lachin International Airports, as well as the "Great Return" program. He also mentioned the importance of the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis who had been expelled from their historical lands.

During his speech, the Azerbaijani ambassador touched upon the relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan and emphasized that Pakistan provided political and moral support to Azerbaijan both during the former Garabagh conflict and the Patriotic War. He also expressed his gratitude to Pakistan for this support.

Murtaza Solangi, who was the chief guest at the reception, first congratulated the government and people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Victory Day on behalf of Pakistan's Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar and congratulated the people of Pakistan on the liberation of Azerbaijanis' historical lands from Armenian occupation. Speaking about the reconstruction works carried out in the territories freed from occupation by Azerbaijan, the minister highly appreciated the great works done by Azerbaijan.

Noting that Azerbaijan and Pakistan are two brotherly countries, the minister expressed confidence that relations between the two countries in all fields will continue to develop in a rising line.

At the end, a symbolic cake prepared on the occasion of the third anniversary of Victory Day was cut, and commemorative photos were taken.

The event also featured numerous videos depicting Azerbaijan’s historical victory, the restoration and reconstruction works carried out in the liberated territories, as well as Pakistan's solidarity with Azerbaijan.