Baku, February 26, AZERTAC

Landing at Baku International Airport on February 6, 2024, covering the Presidential Election of Azerbaijan as an International Observer I had an idea that my next week would be quite busy but would be filled with a beautiful greeting that I would receive in this windy land of beauty, bravery, and hospitality. When I was leaving Baku International Airport after a week, I knew that I had left memories full of affection that windy land filled inside me. The relationship between Azerbaijanis and Pakistanis is older than centuries as both nations are interconnected through history and traditions and share a collective future; a cup of chai at Multani Sairi in the old city of Baku is enough to understand the linkages between Pakistanis and Azerbaijanis and this cup is tastier than a cup of chai in Multan Pakistan.

Being a student and practitioner of the Philosophy of Communication and International Relations, I understand that historic relations between us were not lost although Azerbaijan was behind an iron wall of the former Soviet Union for over 70 years just after getting independence, both nations were reunited and that credit goes to late former President Heydar Aliyev, his son President Ilham Aliyev, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhamad Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and sitting Prime Minister Muhammad Shebaz Sharif. Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan’s independence and the formal diplomatic relations were established on 9 June 1992. In 1995, the protocol for the establishment of ‘The Azerbaijan-Pakistan Joint Commission at the Ministerial Level’ was signed. The experts in International Relations believe that the strong foundations of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan were laid during the official visit of late former President Heydar Aliyev to Pakistan in April 1996 and since then Pakistan and Azerbaijan have had a multi-sectoral Partnership. President Heydar Aliyev during his joint press conference with Benazir Bhutto said that he would never forget the support and assistance Pakistan provided to Azerbaijan in the international sphere and Benazir Bhutto had identical observations about Azerbaijan.

Pakistan has never recognized Armenia as an independent state as a token of condemnation against Armenian aggression against Azerbaijanis. Our relations are based on cultural and historical relations and economic and political support. In general, we consider our relations with Azerbaijan special and do not intend to connect it only to economic relations although Azerbaijan and Pakistan are getting closer economically and the latest visit of PM Sharif helped boost Pakistan-Azerbaijan economic relations who also addressed the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Economic Forum. President Ilham Aliyev (who will visit Pakistan soon) announced that Azerbaijan is ready to invest a minimum of $2 billion in different projects in Pakistan and both countries decided to continue to support each other in all international institutions, agreed on ambitious economic agenda and benefiting each other from economic cooperation, including investment opportunities.

In connection with the Kashmir problem Azerbaijan has always supported the position of Pakistan and not only supported the position of Pakistan but also initiated the adoption of the resolution condemning India and supporting Pakistan about the Kashmir problem. There was a cliché that Azerbaijan supported Pakistan over the Kashmir issue because Pakistan had been proactive in supporting Azerbaijan over the (former) Nagorno-Karabakh issue. This cliché is busted because President Ilham Aliyev liberated Karabakh through the 44-day Patriotic War but his country is still supporting Pakistan over the Kashmir issue without an iota of change in its policy.

Whether it is an earthquake or a flood in Pakistan, Azerbaijan has always stood by Pakistan with an open heart and this is one of the reasons, that when difficult times came for Azerbaijan in the past after its military clashes with Armenia; Pakistan did not back down from supporting Azerbaijan.

Being part of Global South, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan both have complaints with Global North to some extent because both countries sometimes receive illogical and uncalled-for rough treatment from Global North media I as a practitioner of media studies take the speech of President Ilham Aliyev at Second Shusha Global Media Forum held on July 20-22, 2024 as ‘golden words” about what kind of false narratives had been injected by some irresponsible western media outlets. The title of this forum was “Unmasking False Narratives”. His comments about Western media were with references and fake news items Western media published broadcast, and aired about Azerbaijan.

In his speech, he explained what countries like Pakistan and Azerbaijan faced. He said:

There were attempts to influence our political life. Attempts to finance political opposition – direct financing, either directly or through proxy NGOs. When they (the Global North) need you, you are the good guy, and they come and say good things. But when they don’t need you, they not only ignore you, they impose sanctions on you.

I have a deep respect for President Ilham Aliyev, I closely watch his political career and his efforts in implementing the reforms on democratic changes in Azerbaijan and promoting the country towards the market economy. These processes, building a democratic society and formation of market relations are not easy but he did this by continuing the legacy of his father late Heydar Aliyev because snatching independence from the former Soviet Union was only possible because the Azerbaijani nation had leader like him and rising to this level where Azerbaijan is being only possible because it has a continuation of legacy under President Ilham Aliyev.

As mentioned by President Ilham Aliyev some irresponsible media outlets of the Western world injected funding among social and political groups in the past to destabilize democracies like Azerbaijan (and to my understanding also in Pakistan), I believe that there should be a Joint Media Forum comprising of media academicians and practitioners of both the countries to fight back false narrative building by some irresponsible western outlets and this forum can collectively work to devise strategies and share with decision-makers of both countries.

Shazia Anwer Cheema

She is a geopolitical analyst, writer, and educator. She did her M.Phil in Cognitive Semiotics from Aarhus University Denmark and is completing her Ph.D. in Semiotics and Philosophy of Communication at Charles University Prague. Her area of work includes narrative building, political discourse, and strategic communication.