ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Azerbaijan have resolved to strengthen their partnership in infrastructure, energy and trade sectors, the Pakistani government said on Saturday, following high-level meetings between officials of the two countries in Baku.
Pakistan’s Minister of Investment, Privatization and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan met with Azerbaijan Prime Minister Ali Asadov and discussed with him avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation, according to the Press Information Department (PID) of the Pakistani government.
The discussions focused on expanding economic collaboration, with Khan highlighting vast investment opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in privatization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). He also invited Azerbaijan to invest in Pakistan’s motorway and other key sectors.
During the visit, the Pakistani delegation engaged in discussions with Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev, Deputy Minister of Economy Samad Bashiri and President of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Rovshan Najaf.
“The meetings explored opportunities for mutual investment in various sectors, including infrastructure development, energy, and trade,” the PID said in a statement. “Additionally, discussions covered the privatization of government-run enterprises and other key investment initiatives.”
The meetings were also attended by Lt. Gen. Sarfaraz Ahmed, coordinator of Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Federal Secretary Petroleum Momin Ali Agha and other senior officials.
Welcoming the Pakistani delegation, PM Asadov praised Pakistan’s recent economic advancements and assured Azerbaijan’s support in increasing bilateral trade and investment.
The development comes amid Islamabad’s efforts to forge closer ties, especially in trade and investment, with Central Asian states as Pakistan treads a tricky path to economic recovery. There have been a series of visits by Azerbaijani officials to Pakistan in recent months, with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visiting Pakistan in July 2024 and announcing the two nations were working to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion.
“The visit also included a review of progress on various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. Special discussions were held on developing trade corridors, rail networks, and other communication links between Pakistan and Central Asian states to enhance regional connectivity,” the PID said.
“This visit marks another step toward deepening economic and strategic ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, paving the way for expanded cooperation in trade, investment, and infrastructure development.”
Last month, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad and Baku were in the process of finalizing an agreement to enhance security ties through cooperation in arms trade, defense infrastructure and intelligence sharing.
In Dec. 2024, Pakistan waived customs and regulatory duties on imports from Azerbaijan under the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Preferential Trade Agreement. The agreement aimed to boost economic cooperation by reducing tariffs on goods like Pakistan’s sports equipment, leather, and pharmaceuticals and Azerbaijan’s oil and gas products.
Pakistan, Azerbaijan aim to strengthen partnership in infrastructure, energy and trade
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Pakistan, Azerbaijan aim to strengthen partnership in infrastructure, energy and trade
- The development comes as Islamabad seeks closer ties, especially in trade and investment, with Central Asian states to overcome an economic crisis
- In July last year, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev visited Pakistan and announced the two nations were working to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion
Color and caution as banned kite-flying festival returns to Pakistan
- This year authorities allowed the festival for three days but with ramped up safety measures in a move welcomed by many
- Families and groups of friends gathered on rooftops and in parks and streets to celebrate the three-day kite-flying festival
ISLAMABAD: Brightly colored kites soared through the skies over Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore this weekend, marking the return of a festival after a 19-year ban that had been imposed over safety concerns.
Families and groups of friends gathered on rooftops and in parks and streets for the three-day kite-flying festival in Punjab province, known as ‘Basant’, the Urdu language word for the spring season it traditionally marks the arrival of.
“Everyone is excited — all of Punjab, all of Pakistan. It has become hard to find kites and strings because they sold out,” said Shahzaib, a kite flyer, with drums playing in the background.
Punjab authorities banned the festival in 2007 due to a series of fatal accidents caused by glass powdered-coated kite strings and celebratory aerial gunfire.
The exceptionally sharp strings, known as manjha, had badly injured and killed pedestrians and motorcyclists, prompting the crackdown.
But this year authorities relented, allowing the festival for three days but with ramped up safety measures in place in a move welcomed by many Lahoris and thousands who traveled to the city from across the country to take part.
“People had lost businesses when the ban happened. After the ban lifted I sold 20,000 to 25,000 kites,” said Tariq, a kite maker.
Rights groups and cultural activists have long criticized the ban, arguing that poor enforcement rather than the festival itself was to blame for past tragedies.
Some official events planned to take place during the festival were canceled after a suicide blast at a mosque in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Friday killed 31 people.
Police were deployed across the city to enforce safety rules, while hospitals were placed on alert to deal with potential injuries.
Authorities also monitored kite sales — including using QR codes to track kites — and confiscated banned materials, including glass-coated strings.
Motorcycle riders placed protective rods on their bikes to intercept kite strings before they could cut riders.
Kite fighting was the main attraction of the festival with participants manoeuvring their kites to sever the strings of their opponents’, often drawing cheers from neighboring rooftops.
Workshops that once lay dormant were operating again to meet demand.
“Buying and flying kites should not be a one-time thing,” said Chand Ustad, 51, string maker.
“Keep buying them, keep flying them, this helps our business as well.”
