ISLAMABAD, January: Speakers on Thursday recognised sacrifices of people of Azerbaijan, which they rendered to get an independent country adding it is because of valiant struggle of the brave people of Azerbaijan that the country now is making progress by leaps and bounds.
The speakers expressed these views while speaking during a seminar titled From Martyrdom to Independence, organised by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in collaboration with the Iqra University.
Those who spoke on the occasion included Senator Talha Mahmood, Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada, Chancellor of Iqra University Obaid ur Rehman, Vice President of Iqra University Dr Islam and former Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain.
Senator Talha Mahmood who is also Chairman of Pakistan-Azerbaijan Friendship Group in the Senator, said Azerbaijan achieved independence as a result of gallantry struggle and huge sacrifices rendered by the people of Azerbaijan.
Senator Talha said Pakistan accords grate values to its relations with Azerbaijan and wishes to further diversify these relations especially in the fields of culture, tourism and education.
He said the Central Asian region is blessed with a plethora of resources therefore it is incumbent upon us to explore this potential for the ultimate good of our people.
He said oil was yet another sector where both Pakistan and Azerbaijan can cooperate with each other adding Pakistan too has reasonable oil reserves that need to be properly explored and in this regard Azerbaijan an surely lend us a helping hand.
Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada in his address thanked Pakistan for its whole-hearted supported extended to Baku ever since independence.
He said about 20 per cent of the area of Azerbaijan was under the occupation of Armenia and many innocent people of Azerbaijan lay down their lives in fighting against the aggression of Armenian forces.
He said the Black January tragedy goes deep down in the Azerbaijan history and we are greatly indebted to those brave people who laid down their lives to win independence for us.
He said Pakistan also suffered from extremism and terrorism and Azerbaijan fully recognises sacrifices of those Pakistani people who took this challenge head on and defeated this menace. DNA
