Trilateral Parliamentary Forum: Pakistan, Türkiye, Azerbaijan Agree on Defense, Trade, and Climate Cooperation

Islamabad: Pakistan, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening parliamentary cooperation, enhancing defense collaboration, and working jointly to promote lasting peace, stability, and prosperity across the region.

The resolve came during the Third Trilateral Speakers’ Conference, held at the Parliament House and chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and parliamentarians from all three countries were in attendance.

Welcoming his counterparts — Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye Numan Kurtulmus and Speaker of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova — Speaker Sadiq said their presence reflected the deep-rooted friendship and mutual respect among the three brotherly nations.

He said the theme of the conference, “Strengthening Fraternal Relations through Parliamentary Cooperation for Regional Peace and Prosperity,” underscored the collective vision of Pakistan, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan to promote development and regional stability through parliamentary diplomacy.

“Pakistan, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan share a unique partnership — one rooted not in government agreements but in the aspirations of our peoples and the collective voice of our parliaments,” Sadiq noted.

He cautioned that the global security order was under immense strain, citing repeated violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity around the world. Condemning the continued atrocities in Gaza, the Speaker said two years of bloodshed in Palestine had left an indelible mark on the conscience of humanity.

Turning to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Sadiq lamented that the Kashmiri people had been denied their right to self-determination for over seven decades. He said India’s recent aggression in May was effectively countered through Operation Banyan al-Marsous, exposing India’s falsehoods before the world.

The Speaker expressed gratitude to Pakistan’s allies — particularly Türkiye, Azerbaijan, China, and Saudi Arabia — for their steadfast support, warning that India’s threats to unilaterally revoke water treaties revealed its destabilizing intentions. “Pakistan has always pursued peace and respect for sovereignty,” he said.

Touching upon security challenges, Speaker Sadiq said terrorism must be defeated collectively as it has no religion or boundary. Despite provocations and cross-border attacks from Afghan soil, he said, Pakistan’s armed forces had shown restraint while effectively neutralizing terrorist hideouts. “The blood of our martyrs will never go in vain,” he declared.

On climate change, the Speaker noted that Pakistan remains among the worst-affected countries despite its minimal contribution to global emissions. He called for global climate justice and enhanced cooperation to address environmental challenges, saying catastrophic floods were a stark reminder of global climate inequality.

“Parliaments are the true voice of the people and can guide nations toward peace, stability, and sustainable progress,” he added. “Our trilateral parliamentary cooperation will serve as a cornerstone for regional peace and prosperity.”

Azerbaijani Speaker Sahiba Gafarova thanked Speaker Sadiq for hosting the event and praised Pakistan’s steadfast support for Azerbaijan, particularly on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. She urged stronger institutional linkages between parliamentary committees and friendship groups to advance shared goals of peace and development.

Turkish Speaker Numan Kurtulmus condemned Israeli atrocities in Gaza, stressing that those responsible — including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — must be held accountable before the International Court of Justice. He also reaffirmed Türkiye’s solidarity with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and condemned terrorist acts targeting Pakistan.

“The time has come for our three nations to deepen cooperation in defense, trade, and diplomacy to ensure lasting regional peace and collective prosperity,” the Turkish Speaker concluded.