Eid greetings....: Shehbaz phones presidents of Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Iran and Bahrain King

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have extended their warm felicitations to the nation and the Muslim Ummah on the blessed occasion of Eidul Azha.

In his message, President Zardari prayed to Allah Almighty to grant His blessings and happiness to the Muslim world and Pakistan on this auspicious day.

The president highlighted the significance of Eidul Azha, which commemorates the willingness of two chosen Prophets of Allah-Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and Hazrat Ismail (AS) to sacrifice their dearest possessions for the pleasure of Allah.

When Allah Almighty put these great personalities through trials, both of them bowed their heads to obtain the pleasure of Allah, he said, adding that this act of sacrifice became so popular in the presence of Allah Almighty that He made this worship of sacrifice obligatory on the Ummah of Muhammad (PBUH).

He encouraged everyone to share the joy of Eid with those around them, especially those who are unable to celebrate due to financial constraints. “I prayed to Allah Almighty to shower His blessings and mercy upon the entire Muslim Ummah, particularly Pakistan,” he added.

While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on the occasion of Eidul Azha extended heartiest felicitations to countrymen and Muslims around the world. In his message issued on Sunday, he said Eid al-Azha commemorates the unwavering commitment and readiness of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to sacrifice his beloved son Prophet Ismail (AS) without hesitation, as commanded by Almighty Allah. The day reminds us of the importance of sacrificing what is most dear to us in the way of Allah. It teaches us the value of selflessness and devotion to Allah.

The day also serves as an occasion to unite people and foster the bond of brotherhood and fraternity as well as to look after the less fortunate amongst us and make them part of our collective celebration. “Whilst our wish is for peace, prosperity and love to prevail all over the world during Eidul Azha, we are also watching with sadness and concern other ongoing conflicts and violence in many countries worldwide. We should not forget the sacrifices and sufferings of the people of Palestine and Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). On this Eid day, we pray for our Palestinian and Kashmiri brothers and sisters who are bravely facing brutal foreign occupation but remain steadfast in their struggle to achieve their right of self-determination,” he maintained.

May the spirit of Eidul Azha, with its message of solidarity and unity, brings prosperity, success and happiness to the entire Muslim Ummah, he said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held telephonic conversations with different heads of Muslim states and exchanged greetings on the occasion of Eidul Azha here on Sunday.

In his telephonic conversation with President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, he exchanged greetings and congratulated President Rahmon and the brotherly people of Tajikistan on the blessed occasion of Eid, and expressed his wishes for peace, prosperity and development of both countries.

President Rahmon reciprocated the greetings and best wishes and praised the strong fraternal relations between Pakistan and Tajikistan. The two leaders also expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared desire to enhance ties in through trade, energy and connectivity.

Both leaders also discussed the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Astana and reiterated their commitment to strengthen mutually beneficial regional integration and cooperation.

Shehbaz Sharif also had a telephonic conversation with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of Eidul Azha. The two dignitaries exchanged Eid greetings and expressed their best wishes for the people of both countries on this auspicious occasion. They also prayed for unity, peace and prosperity of the Muslim Ummah.

During the telephonic conversation, the two leaders reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations, especially in the domain of trade, defence and energy. They expressed satisfaction on the positive trajectory of relations and agreed to continue working closely to further strengthen bilateral ties to match the political goodwill that exists between both countries.

In addition, they also discussed ways to deal with common challenges, especially climate change. The prime minister congratulated Azerbaijan for hosting the COP29 in Baku later this year and thanked President Aliyev for extending a personal invitation to him to participate in the event. Both leaders reaffirmed that Pakistan and Azerbaijan would continue to support each other at multilateral forums, including at the United Nations, OIC and ECO.

The prime minister also reiterated his warm and cordial invitation to President Aliyev to undertake an official visit to Pakistan soon. President Aliyev confirmed that he would visit Pakistan at an early date. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain held a cordial telephonic conversation and exchanged warm greetings on the occasion of Eidul Azha.

The two leaders expressed their mutual respect and admiration for the strong historical ties between Pakistan and Bahrain, built on shared values and cultural affinities. The prime minister acknowledged and appreciated Bahrain’s support and cooperation in various fields over the years. In particular, he thanked His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for his respect and affection towards Pakistan. The telephone call reflected the warm and friendly relations between Pakistan and Bahrain, with a shared desire to further deepen their fraternal ties.

Shehbaz Sharif and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkiye also held a warm and cordial telephonic conversation and exchanged greetings and best wishes on the occasion of Eidul Azha.

The two leaders celebrated the strong bonds of friendship and brotherhood between Pakistan and Turkiye that were rooted in shared values, history, and cultural affinities. They reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade, investment, defense, and tourism.

The prime minister and the president also discussed ways to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond. They expressed serious concern about the current situation in Palestine while urging the international community to redouble peace efforts to end the misery and suffering of the innocent Palestinians. The two leaders agreed to continue working together to address common challenges and to support each other’s core national interests.

To this end, the prime minister reiterated his cordial invitation to President Erdogan to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience so as to convene the 7th session of the High Level Strategic Consultative Council (HLSCC).

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a telephonic conversation with the Acting President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Mokhber, on the auspicious occasion of Eidul Azha. The prime minister conveyed his warm greetings for a happy and joyous Eid to the government and the brotherly people of Iran, particularly to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The two leaders also discussed bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.

While lauding the historic visit of late Iranian President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi to Pakistan in April this year, the prime minister reiterated his commitment to work with total resolve to achieve all the mutually agreed upon objectives of the visit so as to further deepen our bilateral relations.

The prime minister also expressed sincere wishes to the Iranian government for the successful holding of upcoming presidential elections in Iran on 28 June, 2024.