Pakistani troops, JF-17 jets to participate in Azerbaijan’s Victory Day parade: Tarar

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that Pakistani troops and JF-17 Thunder jets would take part in Azerbaijan’s Victory Day parade later in the day.

Victory Day, marked annually on November 8 since 2020, celebrates Azerbaijan’s success in the 44-day Karabakh Liberation War against Armenia.

“Long live Pakistan-Azerbaijan friendship. Pakistani troops and JF-17 Thunder fighter jets will feature in today’s Victory Parade celebrating the liberation of Karabagh,” the minister stated.

Read: Shehbaz leaves for two-day visit to Azerbaijan

Tarar made the remarks in response to a post by Pakistan’s embassy in Baku on social media platform X. The embassy had earlier shared that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who arrived in Azerbaijan on Friday, would join President Ilham Aliyev at the Victory Day celebrations and a joint dinner.

Last month, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) contingent, featuring JF-17 Thunder Block-III fighter jets along with experienced air and ground crew, arrived in Azerbaijan to take part in a joint aerial combat exercise.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the drill — titled Indus Shield Alpha — was designed to strengthen operational coordination, tactical synergy, and mutual understanding between the air forces of the two countries.

Shehbaz arrived in Baku earlier in the day on the invitation of President Aliyev to attend Azerbaijan’s Victory Day celebrations. Upon arrival at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, he was received by First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub Eyyubov, First Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev, and Pakistan’s Ambassador Qasim Mueenuddin. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accompanied the premier.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held a wide-ranging meeting with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev at the Presidential Palace in Baku, with Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in attendance. The talks focused on strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in defence, trade, and regional connectivity.

Read More: PM Shehbaz reaches Baku to attend Azerbaijan’s Victory Day celebrations

During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated the Azerbaijani leadership and people on their national victory, calling it “a beacon of hope for all oppressed peoples striving for self-determination,” including those in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine.

The two leaders agreed to deepen multi-dimensional cooperation across sectors including politics, trade and investment, energy, defence, and connectivity. Shehbaz also invited President Aliyev to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience — an invitation graciously accepted by the Azerbaijani leader. Acknowledging progress in the South Caucasus, the premier lauded President Aliyev’s leadership and the landmark peace agreement signed with Armenia earlier this year.

The Azerbaijani president, in turn, thanked Pakistan for its unwavering support during Baku’s just struggle to liberate the Karabakh region, and for its constructive role in fostering regional stability.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy long-standing fraternal ties, with cooperation spanning regional and international fora such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), and the United Nations. The trip follows the prime minister’s recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, part of Islamabad’s broader diplomatic outreach aimed at reinforcing economic and strategic partnerships across the Muslim world.