ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Azerbaijan are set to significantly deepen their bilateral trade and economic relations, with a range of strategic agreements during a high-level visit of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev scheduled for later this month.
Informed diplomatic sources revealed on Friday that Azerbaijani President Aliyev is likely to arrive on a two-day official visit to Pakistan on April 26 and 27, during which multiple agreements are expected to be inked in diverse sectors such as infrastructure, energy, and defence.
It was learnt that Azerbaijan president would announce investment projects worth over $2 billion in Pakistan, marking a major step forward in economic cooperation between the two nations.
Azerbaijan has offered over $1 billion loan in cash deposit in response to Pakistan’s request for funding the $1.2 billion Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway.
Premier Sharif had requested the Azerbaijani government to fund two infrastructure projects tallying $1.8 billion during his recent visit to Baku. These include $1.2 billion Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway (M-6), and a new Hyderabad-Karachi motorway (M-9), to be constructed on a new route at a minimum cost of $600 million. The government of Azerbaijan has proposed two options in response to Pakistan’s request to fund the motorway.
Ahead of President Aliyev’s arrival, senior Azerbaijani officials will arrive in Islamabad to lay the groundwork for the high-profile visit. Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy and Investment, Mikayil Jabbarov, is scheduled to reach Islamabad on April 8, and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss investment and trade cooperation.
Additionally, sources disclosed that the Azerbaijani Air Force will also discuss the procurement of JF-17 Block 3 fighter jets from Pakistan. Both friendly countries are likely to further cement bilateral ties in the fields of transportation, energy, industrial development, and defence production.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will personally oversee the signing of these agreements, underlining the significance Islamabad attaches to its growing ties with Baku, said the sources.
The upcoming visit by President Aliyev follows a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to Baku in February 2025, while President Aliyev last visited Islamabad in July 2024.
The analysts termed the current phase as a dawn of “new chapter” in Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations, with growing collaboration in both economic and strategic areas. During his last visit of President Aliyev, Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed several agreements and MoUs.
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM)/ Foreign Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar also chaired an inter-ministerial meeting last week on investment project proposals with Azerbaijan.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Communications, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, National Coordinator SIFC, and federal secretaries for Finance, Petroleum, Interior, Health, Commerce, EAD, National Highways Authority, Communications; AS SIFC, senior officials from MoFA, and other concerned departments.
Senior officials briefed the forum on progress across various sectors.
The DPM directed that proposals for investment in infrastructure, petroleum, trade and IT services maybe finalised by 3rd April 2025.
The DPM reaffirmed that strengthening Pakistan-Azerbaijan ties remains a top priority of the government through robust multi-sector collaboration.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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