Azerbaijan stands united with full resilience to celebrate Victory Day

ISLAMABAD
Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Khazar Farhadov has said that Azerbaijan is united with full resilience to celebrate November 8, the Victory Day of Azerbaijan.
“We stood by our commitment to peace, but we made it clear: Azerbaijan would never accept the occupation of its lands, The “ the Ambassador said. Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Khazar Farhadov said this while addressing the ceremony on the Victory Day of Azerbaijan here.
He said that this day holds profound significance not only for the honor of our nation but also for the future we are building and it is a symbol of resilience, strength, and the unyielding spirit of Azerbaijan.
“We are deeply grateful to the countries that stood with us, and today I must highlight the steadfast support of our brothers and sisters in Pakistan.”
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan said that throughout the second Karabakh War, Pakistan’s leaders voiced unequivocal support for Azerbaijan’s just cause, strengthening our determination. He said that Pakistan has consistently honoured our friendship, even refusing to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia due to the occupation of our lands.
In recent years, several agreements were signed during the high level visits of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to Azerbaijan and the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev to Pakistan.
Khazar Farhadov said that along with increased trade volume, the launch of direct flights, joint investment projects, and Pakistan’s planned high-level participation at COP29, make a significant contribution to the growth of our multifaceted cooperation.
Since our earliest days of independence, our nation has faced enormous challenges and the country was subjected to military aggression, occupation, ethnic cleansing, and genocide by Armenia, he said. He said that nearly one million of our people became refugees and internally displaced persons, yet we never lost our resolve.
On September 27, 2020, this resolve was tested again and Armenia launched attacks on Azerbaijani civilians and military positions from multiple directions, using heavy artillery and other weaponry, he said. The Ambassador said that in response to this provocation, Azerbaijan began a counter-offensive, a Patriotic War for the freedom and integrity of our homeland.
Under the visionary and determined leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the Victorious Army of Azerbaijan defended our people and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, he said. Khazar Farhadov on September 19-20, 2023, we undertook local anti-terrorist measures to end the presence of illegal Armenian forces in Garabagh, restoring full sovereignty over our territories within just 24 hours.
He said this decisive action has created unprecedented opportunities for lasting peace and stability in the region and “we continue to call on Armenia to embrace a constructive approach to peace, recognizing the new realities of our region.” He said that Azerbaijan upheld the principles of international law, reaffirmed our territorial integrity, and brought long-overdue justice by implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions that had been ignored for decades.
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan said that this victory allowed us to fulfill our promise to return our internally displaced people to their rightful homes. “Our victory was not the end of the story; it was the beginning of a new chapter and true to our principles, Azerbaijan immediately launched peace initiatives and began large-scale restoration work in the liberated territories.”
“We introduced the Great Return Program, developing smart villages with a green energy concept to allow our displaced citizens to return home with dignity,” he said. The Ambassador said that environmental stewardship and the fight against climate change are also at the heart of our national agenda.
He said that Azerbaijan is honoured to be hosting COP29 in 2024, one of the largest environmental conferences in the world, underscoring the global respect and trust our nation has earned. In a significant move demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability, Azerbaijan has declared 2024 as the “Green World Solidarity Year.”
He said that as we celebrate this day of triumph; let us honour with the deepest respect and gratitude our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Azerbaijan’s independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. Their courage and their love for Azerbaijan live on in each of us, inspiring us to carry forward their legacy, he said. He wished that may our country continue to thrive, in peace, unity, and progress.