Azerbaijani Minister of Defence Industry meets PM Shehbaz Sharif

Azerbaijan’s Minister for Defense Industry, Vugar Mustafayev, met with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Friday to strengthen bilateral ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation in various sectors, including trade, energy, defense, and investment.During the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif expressed satisfaction with the current trajectory of Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations, particularly in the areas of trade, energy, and defense. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to diversifying and deepening bilateral cooperation for the mutual benefit of both nations. Minister Mustafayev thanked the Prime Minister for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation.Mustafayev’s visit is part of the 8th Session of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Joint Ministerial Commission, co-chaired by Federal Minister for Defense Production Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Mustafayev. The session, held from January 23-24, 2025, in Islamabad, concluded with significant discussions on key areas of mutual interest.Both countries agreed to implement the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), signed in July 2024, and explore opportunities for joint ventures and investments between their businesses.Both sides agreed to accelerate the signing of an MoU for joint production and sale of defense hardware, boosting defense industry collaboration.The discussion also focused on advancing the strategic underground gas storage project and inviting Azerbaijan to participate in energy infrastructure projects, including the laying of a white oil pipeline.Both countries committed to enhancing cooperation in agriculture through joint research in cotton, grain cultivation, and seed development. Business-to-business exchanges in agricultural commodities were also encouraged.Both nations agreed to collaborate on advanced diagnostics, medical tourism, and public health emergencies, while also exploring avenues for health-related research and capacity-building.Minister Mustafayev highlighted the importance of creating new joint working groups to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, which he believes will lead to significant advancements in various sectors.The two sides also discussed the upcoming 9th Joint Commission Session, which is scheduled to take place in Baku in 2027. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continued growth and prosperity for both nations.In his remarks, Minister Asif noted that high-level exchanges, including visits by President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had significantly bolstered cooperation across energy, defense, and trade sectors.