TIANJIN; Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State Summit in Tianjin, China, taking place from August 31 to September 1, 2025.
According to official sources, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was also present during the meeting. However, state broadcaster Pakistan Television (PTV), in its official news report on the encounter, did not mention the Army Chief’s participation, though a photograph released on the PTV web portal clearly shows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif introducing Field Marshal Munir to President Aliyev.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated President Aliyev on the signing of the historic peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, calling it a significant milestone toward sustainable peace and stability in the South Caucasus.
The two leaders discussed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, including trade, investment, energy, connectivity, defence, education, and people-to-people exchanges. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations and stressed the importance of strengthening regional connectivity projects, while deepening collaboration through multilateral platforms such as the SCO.
They also exchanged views on pressing global challenges and reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining close coordination in international forums.
President Aliyev offered condolences over the human and material losses caused by the ongoing floods in Pakistan, assuring that Azerbaijan stands in solidarity with the people and government of Pakistan in this difficult time.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in turn, extended an invitation to President Aliyev to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at the earliest convenience.