Naveed Ahmad Khan
Islamabad :Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Alizade on Wednesday extended his gratitude to the government and Pakistani nation for its solidarity with people of Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Addressing the seminar titled, “Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict- Military and Political Resolution” organised by Measac Research Centre (MRC), he said Karabakh was historically a region developed during eighteenth century where no Armenians lived before 19th century.
He highlighted the historical background of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Alizadae noted that global powers had never supported Azerbaijan rather endorsed Armenia’s illegitimate claims and ambitions to protect Karabakh for Armenia.
He said Armenia apart from Karabakh had occupied seven adjacent terrorities of Azerbaijan to strengthen its occupation. However, in the recent provocations Azerbaijan lost many lives of civilians during Armenia’s blatant war crimes committed to repulse Azerbaijan’s counteroffensive launched to restore it’s territorial sovereignty.
Director General MRC Mohammad Abdullah Hamid Gul in his welcome address said it was a proud moment to see a Muslim nation fighting back it’s lost glory.
He said, “We are proud of the sacrifices made by Azerbaijani people, leadership and the armed forces in liberating Nagorno-Karabakh region.” Abdullah Gul maintained that since there was no solution coming from the global community, Azerbaijan deserved the right to fight for its just right.
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces had spilled their blood to liberate their occupied territory which was helped restore peace in the region, he added.
Defence Analyst and Expert Brig. (Retd) Abdur Rehman Bilal apprised the participants on Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict history and way forward.
He said the conflict started in 1988 after Armenian aggression, ethnic cleansing and genocide of Azerbaijani people resulting huge population under refugee camps and trails.
He said during the conflict United Nations failed to execute its resolutions on the issue where Russia played a wise and mature role in halting the war and spilling vaccum on the region.
He recommended that a withdrawal of Armenian troops with timelines should be devised whereas sanctions should be imposed on the aggressor nation Armenia with force capping as done in the case of Germany and Japan where international precedents under Geneva conventions were already set.
“The moralists and human rights mongerers at global foras should take up illegal funding provided to Armenia at Financial Action Task Force against Armenia.” Brigadier (Retd) Abdur Rehman added that a joint defence alliance of Muslim nations should be included in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation with core focus on a functional headquarter and Defence University to train officers like the NATO defence college.
Senator Talha Mehmood was of the view that trilateral agreement signed for ceasefire among Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia would ensure peace and be the harbinger of peace in South Caucasus region.
He said, “No peace exists without paying it’s price as the Azerbaijani people have paid and we are also paying in Kashmir “.
The innocent civilians were the direct target of any conflict as Armenia targeted people in Ganja and other territories far from forefront territories inflicting heavy casualties and collateral damage.
He congratulated the Azerbaijani people for their successful retrieval of occupied territory and sympathised with them for bearing heavy losses.