Senate committee head backs Azerbaijan liberating villages from Armenia

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Interior Chairman Abdul Rehman Malik has fully supported Azerbaijan as it liberated a town and several occupied villages from Armenia illegal occupation.

While giving an interview to a renowned newspaper of Azerbaijan, Senator Malik demanded Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tender an apology for accusing Pakistan of sending troops to Azerbaijan.

He said Azerbaijan was forced to take action for implementing the resolutions of the UNSC itself. He said Azerbaijan had almost implemented the UNSC Resolution No 874 on its own and liberated the cities of Jabral and Zanglian. “I believe in the territorial integrity of every country and the world knows that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not new and it exists since the early 20th century”.

Senator A Rehman Malik said that the current conflict came up in 1988 when Armenians demanded the transfer of Karabakh Armenia resulting in a war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the late 1990s.

He said that the ceasefire pact was signed in 1994 and provided relative stability in the region for the next two decades. He said that he understands through the emerging violation by Armenia turned into the current crisis between the two countries and, according to the international map, Nagorno-Karabakh is recognised as a de jure part of Azerbaijan.

He said that the international community accepts this legitimate right of Azerbaijan to exercise its control over this territory and the UNSC has passed resolutions 822 and 853 in this regard. He explained that resolution 874 is reaffirmation of previous resolutions on this issue to reiterate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the UNSC had the responsibility to implement its resolution 874 like the resolution on Kashmir, but it failed to deter Armenian provocative actions in Nagorno-Karabakh.

He said, “I wish the UN had done its duty then Azerbaijan would have not been forced to get the resolution implemented by recovering their legitimate area by force”. He hoped both the countries would sit together and find out a way forward to live with peace like good neighbours.

Answering a question, Senator Malik said Pakistan has very strong brotherly relations with Azerbaijan and has always supported Azerbaijan diplomatically against Armenian illegal and inhuman actions, adding Pakistan supporting Azerbaijan like it has been supporting the Kashmir cause. “We have been extending this support unconditionally from the very beginning as Armenia has no legal and political right to continue the occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan.

He said that as a state policy, Pakistan doesn’t interfere in other country's affairs; however, it would continue its diplomatic and moral support to Azerbaijan. He said Armenia is doing the same with Pakistan by accusing Pakistan which we have not done. “We do not recognise Armenia due to its illegitimate actions and aggression,” he said.

Condemning Armenian PM’s statement, he said that such statements coming from Armenia are baseless and Pakistan denies the allegation of participation of Pakistani troops or others in the war. “I would like it more clear to say that these allegations against Pakistani forces fighting on side of Azerbaijan are completely baseless and therefore call upon the PM of Armenia to stop this propaganda and tender apology to the people of Pakistan”. He said that Pakistan would continue to support the people of Azerbaijan on diplomatic and political fronts.