ISLAMABAD, JAN 17 (DNA) –Speakers on Thursday recognized sacrifices of people of Azerbaijan, which they rendered to get an independent country adding it is because of valiant struggle of the brave people of Azerbaijan that the country now is making progress by leaps and bounds.

The speakers expressed these views while speaking during a seminar titled From Martyrdom to Independence, organised by the Embassy of Azerbaijan in collaboration with the Iqra University.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Senator Talha Mahmood, Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada, Chancellor of Iqra University Obaid ur Rehman, Vice President of Iqra University Dr Islam and former Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain.

Senator Talha Mahmood who is also Chairman of Pakistan-Azerbaijan Friendship Group in the Senator, said Azerbaijan achieved independence as a result of gallantry struggle and huge sacrifices rendered by the people of Azerbaijan.

Senator Talha Mahmood who is also Chairman of Pakistan-Azerbaijan Friendship Group in the Senator, said Azerbaijan achieved independence as a result of gallantry struggle and huge sacrifices rendered by the people of Azerbaijan.

Senator Talha said Pakistan accords grate values to its relations with Azerbaijan and wishes to further diversify these relations especially in the fields of culture, tourism and education.

He said the Central Asian region is blessed with a plethora of resources therefore it is incumbent upon us to explore this potential for the ultimate good of our people.

He said oil was yet another sector where both Pakistan and Azerbaijan can cooperate with each other adding Pakistan too has reasonable oil reserves that need to be properly explored and in this regard Azerbaijan an surely lend us a helping hand.

Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada in his address thanked Pakistan for its whole-hearted supported extended to Baku ever since independence.

He said about 20 per cent of the area of Azerbaijan was under the occupation of Armenia and many innocent people of Azerbaijan lay down their lives in fighting against the aggression of Armenian forces.

He said the Black January tragedy goes deep down in the Azerbaijan history and we are greatly indebted to those brave people who laid down their lives to win independence for us.

He said Pakistan also suffered from extremism and terrorism and Azerbaijan fully recognises sacrifices of those Pakistani people who took this challenge head on and defeated this menace.

Azerbaijan also feels indebted to Pakistan of its unflinching support on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh adding Baku too would continue to support Pakistan’s just stand on Kashmir.

Ambassador Abrar Hussain while highlighting the significance of black January tragedy, said on that day hundreds on innocent people were brutally killed simply because they had come to roads for independence.

He said it was a defining moment in the history of Azerbaijan and in less than two years Azerbaijan got independence. Pakistan was among first countries to recognise independence of Azerbaijan.

He said we are glad today Azerbaijan has made huge progress in all spheres and it is because of the visionary leadership of late Hyder Aliyev. Under the current leadership of Azerbaijan led by President Ilham Aliyev the country has achieved many milestones.

Ambassador Abrar further said both countries have a number of similarities. Pakistan fully supports Azerbaijan on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh and because of this issue Pakistan has not recognised Armenia so far.

Likewise he said Azerbaijan fully supports Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir adding proximity of relations between the two countries demands an enhanced partnership in all fields in the coming days.=DNA

SPEECH OF THE AMBASSADOR OF AZERBAIJAN

This year marks 28 years of restoration of independence of Azerbaijan and we salute and pay rich homage to our martyrs who gave their lives for the independence of the country and honour their courage in the face of overwhelming grief.72 years ago, the movement for independence began also in Pakistan under the leadership of the great Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and today taking this opportunity I am also honored to pay rich tribute to the Shuhadas of our brotherly country Pakistan as well.

Commemoration Day of the Martyrs of Azerbaijan that falls on date January 20 remained in the memory of the people of Azerbaijan as a day of  sorrow, but at the same time mostly day of pride. Since 1988 the national movement for liberty grew and in 1990, the independence movement acquired an active role in Azerbaijan and hundred thousands of people leaving everything behind joined a cause that promised them a secure future and this day-January 20, went down in history of Azerbaijan as the struggle for the freedom and territorial integrity, for independence of Azerbaijan, as a heroism page. The brave sons and daughters laid down their lives to defend the soil that their ancestors fought for to achieve and they gave their today for our tomorrow, for our future.

Starting from 1987, at that time the Soviet Union’s sowing seeds of ethnic discrimination reached its peak.During 1988-89 the Azerbaijanis who were living in Armenia were forced to leave Armenia and in the course annexation of part of our lands to Armenia, finally, giving  Daghlig Garabagh, the integral part of Azerbaijan to Armenia as a gift  exhausted our  people’s patience. As a result of all these injustices the struggle for national liberation started,  with demonstrations and rallies in protest  to the Armenian separatism in Daghlig Garabagh. This policy of Soviet Union’sleadership and territorial claims made by Armenia against Azerbaijan escalated socio -political situation in the  region. People started to demand the resignation of the leadership of Soviet Azerbaijan, as well as to stop armenian atrocities against Azerbaijanies.On September 23, 1989, The Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR adopted the Constitutional Law “On Sovereignty of the Azerbaijan SSR,” 5th provision of which provided, inter alia, that sovereignty of the Azerbaijan SSR shall cover the whole its territory, including Azerbaijan’s integral parts – Nakhchivan and Daghlig Garabagh, and that the borders of the Azerbaijan SSR with other Union Republics might be altered only by mutual agreement of republics concerned.This was a clear manifestation of independence from the Soviet point of view and the main reason and aim of invasion of Baku and committing January tragedy by the Soviet Army in1990 was to stop the dissolution of the Communist regime, crush any opposition in Azerbaijan’s bid for independence, and preserving status quo and facilitation of annexation of part of our lands to Armenia.According to the materials of the Investigation Commission there were mostly many persons of Armenian nationality among reservists and troops.

At that time, Soviet mass media did not even mention that tragedy, and crime passed over in silence. Azerbaijan was kept in the information blockade and most of the politicians were afraid from anger of soviet leadership and only by the statement of Heydar Aliyev condemning the bloody crime committed  in Baku the international community could get real information about this tragedy, bloody and ominous incident that took place.

The day of January 20, 1990 became  the Day of Proud in our history which united the people of Azerbaijan into a community of citizens of an independent nation and strengthened their resolve to achieve that independence. It became a page of heroism in the history of the struggle for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and united, we restorated finally our independence in 1991.

We regained independence but unfortunately we are still suffering from armenian terrorism and extremism. 20% of our territories are still under occupation. Every month the brave soldiers of Azerbaijan Army, innocents civilians, women, children lose their lives as a result of armenian provocation and terrorism in the line of control.

And as a country suffered from terrorism a lot Pakistan understand the pain of Azerbaijan and Pakistan has gave also a lot sacrifices in war against terrorism and extremism. I extend my deepest thanks to Pakistan which showed brotherly approach supporting fair position of Azerbaijan all these years and didn’t recognize aggressor country Armenia as a state. We greatful and value this brotherly approach.

We know that the nations which want to live with honor and dignity should make sacrifices.We need always to remember that our today’s life in sovereign country, our prosperity, our ability to chase our aims and dreams with full and complete independence are the results of many sacrifices given by brave sons and daughter of our countries. The heroism and sacrifices of the martyrs steadfastly remain as signs of honor and pride for the people of Azerbaijan and Pakistan who will always stand in recognition, respect, and gratitude for the faithful martyrs.

This event marks also our deep appreciation for the martyrs who now live on in the brightest pages of our history. The martyrs, who answered the call of duty and gave their lives in defence and for the independence of their countries have risen to the highest ranks and they are always in heart of nations.