Boycott calls against Turkey and Azerbaijan continue to mount in India due to their pro-Pakistan stance in the ongoing South Asian conflict between two nuclear-powered neighbours. Just this week, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for retaining “brotherly” ties between the two nations. And now, he’s similarly returning the favour to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the aftermath of India’s Operation Sindoor.
Amid the recent Indo-Pak escalation, both countries have continued to consolidate their ties with some or the other nation as world leaders have pitched in their reactions to the conflict. While India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was busy discussing strengthening bilateral tries with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting minister of foreign affairs of the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the Pakistani prime minister was doing the same with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
Pakistan-Azerbaijan ties consolidated: Shehbaz Sharif talks to Ilhan Aliyev
Sharing the outcome of the talks, Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X, “Spoke to my dear brother President Ilham Aliyev this afternoon and conveyed my profound gratitude to him for Azerbaijan’s resolute support to Pakistan during the recent crisis in South Asia. The overwhelming support of the people and leadership of Azerbaijan has demonstrated to the world that Pakistan and Azerbaijan are true brothers.”
He further updated that deepening bilateral partnership between Pakistan and Azerbaijan was the prime focus of the conversation as the latter has invested in the former. Sharif even foregrounded having reiterated his “invitation to the Azerbaijani president to visit at his earliest convenience.”
Azerbaijan’s official statement expressing support for Pakistan
In addition to talks with Aliyev, Pak’s PM welcomed Azerbaijini Ambassador to Pakistan Khazar Farhadov in Islamabad earlier this week. Moreover, Azerbaijan’s embassy in Islamabad initially extended public support to Pakistan against India, saying, “The Republic of Azerbaijan expresses its concern over the further escalation of tension between the Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. We condemn military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that killed and injured several civilians.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Azerbaijan’s statement also read, ” Being in solidarity with the people of Pakistan, we express condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured… We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means..”
