Ambassador Khazar Farhadov and Defence Attache Colonel Mehman Novruzov host Azerbaijani Armed Forces Day
Ansar M Bhatti
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Azerbaijan Khazar Farhadov has said Azerbaijan armed forces were fully prepared to defend their motherland adding victory in the Patriotic War unequivocally showed our forces bravery and commitment to defend its borders come what may.
He made these remarks on the occasion of the 105th Anniversary of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces reception. A large number of guests hailing from various walks of life attended the reception. A special musical performance by the Pakistan Army band added color to the event.
Air Marshal Irfan Ahmed, Deputy Chief of Air Staff Projects was the chief guest.
Ambassador Khazar Farhadov further said, ‘today we celebrate the 105th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces. Undoubtedly, the peak of the warpath of our National Army during this period is the glorious Victory gained in the Patriotic War – Karabakh Victory. There has been no similar Victory in the centuries-old history of our nation’.
The Ambassador further said, on June 26, 1918, by the decision of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first regular military unit – the Combined Azerbaijan Corps – was created. The task of creating an army of 25 thousand people was set by the Government. On August 1, 1918, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan was established.
The creation of the modern National Army started in 1991 after the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan. However, those who led our country in the first years of independence could not cope with the important and responsible task of army building at that time when Armenia occupied our lands. The encroachment of the enemy on our lands was expanding more and more. Azerbaijan faced the threat of losing its independence. At such a difficult time, the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, who returned to power at the request of the people, eliminated chaos and anarchy, economic and political difficulties in the country and started the process of building a regular army.
After the National Leader’s return to power, our army and people had a firm belief in Victory. At the call of Heydar Aliyev, a large-scale mobilization was held, and military units were fully equipped in the country, he added.
While talking about the war with Armenia the Ambassador said, the 44 days Patriotic War of 2020 which resulted in the liberation of our territories from Armenian occupation by the brave Azerbaijani Army under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev was written in golden letters in our history. It is no coincidence that the military operations of the Azerbaijani Army, especially the Shusha operation are studied in the leading military schools of the world today.
While talking about the bilateral relations he said, today we can see that Azerbaijan and Pakistan’s bilateral relations are at a high level in all fields, including military and defense cooperation
‘I would also like to mention that over the past 30 years, mutual visits have been carried out in the military and military-technical fields. I am confident that these ties will be further strengthened and deepened’.
Colonel Mehman Novruzov, Azerbaijan Defence Attaché to Pakistan in his speech said the people of Azerbaijan have for centuries fought for liberty and statehood along its ancient history. Because of rich natural resources and strategic location, our motherland has always undergone pressures and military aggressions by strong states.
After regaining independence, all state attributes of Azerbaijan, including Armed Forces were restored and on May 22, 1998, with the presidential decree, June 26 was declared as the Day of Azerbaijan Armed Forces.
Since its establishment on 26 June 1918, the Azerbaijan Armed Forces have faced many security challenges and demonstrated remarkable resilience, unwavering dedication, and a strong commitment to safeguarding security and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
He sdaid the turning point in the history of Azerbaijan Armed Forces came in 2020 during the 44-Day Patriotic War of Azerbaijan. In response to Armenian provocations, Azerbaijan launched a successful counteroffensive military campaign to retake its 20% territories, which had been under Armenian occupation for almost 30 years.
The Azerbaijan Armed Forces carried out the war of the 21st century and destroyed the Armenian fascism on the battlefield, thus demonstrated the strength, determination and professionalism of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces.
‘The counteroffensive operation of Azerbaijan Army with the later adopted “Iron Fist” code name, made the aggressor state of Armenia, to admit its unconditional capitulation in 44 days. Azerbaijan managed to fulfil the requirements of the international law, implement on the battlefield the 4 UN Security Council resolutions that remained on paper for 27 years’.
Talking about bilateral relations he said, Azerbaijan and Pakistan enjoy strategic partnership relations which also cover the cooperation in the defense and security fields.
The Azerbaijan-Pakistan military cooperation has been built on the foundations of brotherhood, shared values, and common objectives. The exchange of high-level military visits, participation in training programs, conducting joint exercises, as well as growing military technical cooperation have further deepened the military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. This collaboration has served to enhance the capabilities and professionalism of both our armed forces, enabling us to face emerging security challenges effectively.
In 2021, Azerbaijan hosted joint special forces exercise under the code name “Three Brothers”, which included participation of special forces of Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Türkiye. The aim of such exercises is to enhance joint operational readiness of our armies, improve their level of interoperability and enable our countries to jointly address all kinds of regional security challenges.
We are planning to continue conducting more combined joint military exercises in multilateral formats, he added.
He expressed sincere gratitude to the esteemed leadership of the Pakistan Army for their gracious support and cooperation, as well as for making tonight’s reception even more memorable for endorsing the idea of having a live performance by the renowned Pakistan Army Band, which will elevate the ambiance of this event.
