ISLAMABAD: Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Dr. Numan Kurtulmu?, and Chairperson of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, Mrs. Sahiba Gafarova, met with President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr today to discuss enhancing collaboration among the three nations.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Speaker of the National Assembly, was present during the discussions. President Zardari expressed Pakistan’s deep appreciation for its relationships with Türkiye and Azerbaijan, highlighting shared values and a mutual goal of regional peace and prosperity.
The meeting comes on the heels of the Third Trilateral Speakers’ Conference, which President Zardari praised for highlighting the growing parliamentary cooperation among the countries. Mrs. Gafarova shared greetings from Azerbaijan’s leadership and mentioned the rotational hosting of the conference, with previous meetings in Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
Mrs. Gafarova extended an invitation to Pakistani parliamentarians to visit Baku to explore collaborative opportunities, particularly in addressing climate change challenges.
President Zardari noted the expanding ties with Türkiye, especially in political, economic, defense, and security domains. He acknowledged Türkiye’s support for Pakistan’s UN Human Rights Council candidacy for 2026-2028 and welcomed Turkish interest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones.
Discussing Azerbaijan, President Zardari emphasized the strong relations based on mutual respect and strategic understanding. He highlighted the importance of joint efforts to enhance connectivity through initiatives like the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad Railway Corridor and the International North-South Transport Corridor.
The President reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to working with Türkiye and Azerbaijan to foster regional peace and stability. The meeting was also attended by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Turkish Ambassador Irfan Neziro?lu, and Azerbaijani Ambassador Khazar Farhadov.