Baku: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku, where the two leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, connectivity, and defense, according to the Prime Minister's Office.

According to Anadolu Agency, Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir also attended the meeting, which was held at the Presidential Palace of Azerbaijan. Sharif expressed gratitude to Aliyev for inviting him to attend Azerbaijan's Victory Day celebrations and congratulated the Azerbaijani government and people on the anniversary of their 2020 Karabakh war victory.

Sharif remarked that Azerbaijan's victory serves as a symbol of hope for oppressed people striving for self-determination, including those in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine. During the meeting, both leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation across key sectors.

Sharif praised Aliyev for signing a peace agreement with Armenia earlier this year. Aliyev, in turn, thanked Pakistan for its support in Azerbaijan's struggle against the occupation of the Karabakh region. The Azerbaijani leader also acknowledged Pakistan's role in promoting regional stability in South Asia.

Sharif extended an invitation to Aliyev to visit Pakistan, which the Azerbaijani president accepted. The meeting coincided with Azerbaijan marking the fifth anniversary of its Victory Day, celebrating its success in the 2020 Karabakh war.