PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday joined Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in a firm call to reject conflict and prioritize peace, as the three nations held a high-level trilateral summit in Lachin, Azerbaijan.
The meeting marked a symbolic display of unity among historically allied nations, with Pakistan, Turkiye and Azerbaijan reaffirming mutual support on longstanding regional disputes including Kashmir, Karabakh and Northern Cyprus.
The trilateral, held in the backdrop of recent conflict between Pakistan and India and unequivocal support extended to Pakistan by Turkiye and Azerbaijan, showcased complete solidarity among the three countries, highlighting prospects for making the forum a vital platform to pursue common goals.
Given shared objectives and challenges, there is great scope to strengthen political, diplomatic, economic and cultural cooperation among the three countries and hopefully their relevant ministries and institutions will work with dedication and speed to translate the dream of shared prosperity.
As for political will, it is already there as demonstrated repeatedly by the Government and people of Pakistan in supporting the just causes of Turkiye and Azerbaijan and the bold stand taken by the two countries vis-à-vis Pakistan-India standoff.
It was because of the morale boosting posture adopted by Turkiye and Azerbaijan that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked both nations for their visible public support during the crisis.
The PM rightly pointed out that in today’s unpredictable and volatile world, political security, architectures, connectivity, alignments and emerging technologies are shaping the new reality.
In such a situation, Pakistan is very fortunate to have sincere brothers like Turkiye and Azerbaijan who have stood together with us as impregnable rocks and whom we can trust without a second thought.
Shehbaz noted that Erdogan’s firm stand and solidarity with the people of Pakistan as well as Aliyev’s unwavering commitment to the people of Pakistan had earned the highest level of appreciation from his government and the nation.
Noting the outpouring of love and affection in both Turkiye and Azerbaijan for Pakistan, the PM asserted: We could not but be mesmerized by the intensity of the fervour and enthusiasm of our common citizens during Pakistan’s recent conflict with India.
Reciprocating the sentiments expressed by the Prime Minister, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev showed concern over the recent Pakistan-India tensions and reiterated Azerbaijan’s solidarity with Pakistan.
He minced no words in emphasizing the need for peaceful resolution of the conflicts including Jammu and Kashmir, which, he underlined, should be resolved in line with the relevant UN resolutions.
The straight forward position adopted by the Azeri President has touched hearts of each and every Pakistani as it showed Azerbaijan was a reliable friend and ally.
Similar sentiments were also expressed by the Turkish President ignoring the negative reaction to the principled stand he took during the Pakistan-India conflict.
Congratulating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistan authorities for the calm and prudent attitude they displayed during the standoff with India, Erdogan offered his good offices to mediate between the two countries to ensure the ceasefire evolves into a permanent peace.
As for Pakistan, its preference for peace and security was once again highlighted during the speech of the Prime Minister at the trilateral summit when he said Pakistan was ready to discuss the issues of Jammu and Kashmir, counter-terrorism, water and trade.
It is now for the other side to reciprocate and demonstrate sincerity of purpose for the sake of sustainable peace, progress and security in the region.
The recent tension between Pakistan and India highlighted the need for a just resolution of the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir as peace remains on tenterhooks due to unilateral and imperialist policies of India.
Similarly, India is resorting to water war and indulges in baseless propaganda on the issue of terrorism, a tendency that amounts to playing havoc with the prospects of peace in the region.
The short war has proven beyond any doubt that India cannot dictate its terms on Pakistan and instead it should respond positively to the sincere offers of mediation made by different countries.
