Islamabad, November 5,2026: The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Pakistan hosted a grand reception at the Marriott Hotel Islamabad to mark the sixth anniversary of Azerbaijan’s Victory Day, commemorating the country’s victory in the 2020 Patriotic War.
The event was attended by ambassadors, high commissioners, diplomats, defence attachés, politicians, business leaders, civil society representatives and members of the media.
Federal Minister for Information Technology Shiza Fatima Khawaja attended as the chief guest and joined Ambassador of Azerbaijan Irfan Davudov and other distinguished guests in a cake-cutting ceremony. General Sarfraz Ahmed, Commander Air Defence, Pakistan Army, was also among the prominent attendees.
Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Davudov expressed gratitude to the Pakistani government, people and diplomatic community for joining Azerbaijan in commemorating one of the most significant days in its national history.
He paid tribute to the Azerbaijani martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying their courage, dedication and patriotism would always be remembered.
The ambassador said the Second Karabakh War, also known as the Patriotic War, resulted in the liberation of large parts of Azerbaijan’s territories that had remained under occupation for nearly 30 years.
He said the victory created conditions for peace, cooperation and security in the region.
Recalling the four United Nations Security Council resolutions adopted in 1993, Ambassador Davudov said they had called for the immediate, unconditional and complete withdrawal of occupying forces from Azerbaijani territories but remained unimplemented for three decades.
He attributed Azerbaijan’s victory to the bravery of its armed forces, the strategic vision and leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, and the unity of the Azerbaijani nation.
He said November 8 was designated as Victory Day by President Aliyev in recognition of the liberation of Shusha, Azerbaijan’s cultural capital and a strategically important city in the Karabakh region.
Ambassador Davudov emphasized that war had never been Azerbaijan’s choice, noting that the country had pursued peaceful means and negotiations for nearly three decades to resolve the conflict.
However, he said continued provocations and the failure to implement international resolutions had made military action unavoidable.
He stressed that military victory must ultimately be followed by lasting peace, adding that Azerbaijan had proposed a peace agreement with Armenia immediately after the Patriotic War.
He reaffirmed his country’s commitment to negotiations based on mutual respect, sovereignty, territorial integrity, good-neighbourly relations and regional cooperation.
Highlighting developments in the liberated territories, the ambassador said reconstruction and rehabilitation activities were continuing, including the construction of residential settlements, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
He also highlighted efforts to restore religious and cultural heritage sites.
The ongoing demining process, he said, remained a challenging and resource-intensive undertaking, as more than one million mines had been laid in the territories during the occupation.
Ambassador Davudov said the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral homes was progressing under a special government programme.
More than 120,000 people, including workers and former internally displaced persons, were now living or working in the liberated areas.
He described the restoration of security, stability and normal life in the region as a major achievement of Azerbaijan’s domestic and foreign policies under President Ilham Aliyev, building on the legacy of national leader Heydar Aliyev.
Speaking about bilateral relations, Ambassador Davudov expressed profound gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their consistent political, diplomatic and moral support during Azerbaijan’s difficult period.
He said Pakistan’s principled position, political courage and commitment to international law had always been highly valued by the Azerbaijani leadership and people, particularly at a time when double standards continued to prevail in international affairs.
The ambassador observed that relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan were currently experiencing their highest level of development, supported by high-level exchanges, diplomatic coordination and expanding cooperation in trade, education, science, media, institutional development and defence.
He particularly highlighted cooperation in the military and technical fields, describing it as an increasingly important dimension of the bilateral partnership.
Ambassador Davudov also referred to the establishment of ASAN Service Islamabad with Azerbaijan’s close participation and assistance, calling it a remarkable symbol of the enduring friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.
Concluding his remarks, the ambassador thanked the Pakistani guests, Embassy staff and management of Marriott Hotel Islamabad for their contributions to organizing the event.
He reaffirmed the strength of bilateral ties with the slogan, “Long live Azerbaijan-Pakistan friendship and brotherhood.”
The ceremony concluded with a renewed expression of the longstanding bonds of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.
