Reconstruction & restoration activities in liberated areas in full swing: Envoy
Zubair Qureshi
The Azerbaijan government is spending around US$3 billion for reconstruction, restoration and rehabilitation in the cities liberated from the occupying Armenian forces.
Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov said this on Tuesday at a news conference held to mark the ‘September 27 – Commemoration Day’ organized at the Embassy of Azerbaijan. This was also the 2nd anniversary of the liberation of Karabakh by the patriotic forces against the occupying Armenians.
Flanked by Defence Attaché Colonel Mehman Novruzov, the ambassador spoke at length about the heroic struggle of the Azerbaijan nation and the forces under the leadership of President Ilham that resulted in the liberation of almost 20 per cent of his country’s territory.
The scale of devastation in the liberated cities is colossal, said the ambassador and regretted that the occupying Armenian forces did not even spare mosques and graveyards.
Out of 67 mosques in the territories which were under Armenian occupation, 65 have been either razed to the ground and the remaining 2 have been severely damaged and desecrated, (used as stables for pigs and cows), said the ambassador.
Besides, first Azerbaijani Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) have already returned to liberated Zangilan region’s Aghali village, which was rebuilt based on the “smart village” concept, he said.
Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan has already become a venue for international events, said the ambassador adding the city is reflective “Pakistan Colors” group performed the “Bhangra” dance at the 5th “Kharibulbul” International Folklore Festival which was held in Shusha in May 2022, said the ambassador.
The ambassador was of the view that Azerbaijan offered Armenia peace immediately after the war, however they, it seems, are not interested in peace, he said.
This was perhaps one of a handful of examples in the military history of the world when lands remained under occupation for 30 years, people lived in suffering and deprivation, historical and religious monuments were destroyed, cities were razed to the ground, and more than a million mines planted, and yet Azerbaijan is offering peace.
The Azerbaijani side proposes delimitation and demarcation but Armenia delays it. We have proposed 5 principles for signing a peace treaty with Armenia. In words, they accepted them, but in reality there is little action.
Moreover, in the past few months, Armenia has committed repeated military provocations against Azerbaijan. More than 1,400 new landmines were planted in the Lachin district alone, and these mines were planted in 2021, after the war. This is a flagrant act of terror against Azerbaijan. Since the war ended, more than 240 Azerbaijani citizens have been killed or seriously injured due to landmine explosions.
In the end, the ambassador expressed his gratitude to “brotherly Pakistan from the first day of the former Karabakh conflict.” Not only this, Pakistan also extended moral and political support during the Patriotic War in 2020 supporting the just position of Azerbaijan and it has been highly appreciated by the Government and people of Azerbaijan, he said.
