ISLAMABAD - Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik has fully supported Azerbaijan as it liberated a town and several occupied villages from Armenia’s illegal occupation. 

Giving interview to a renowned newspaper of Azerbaijan, Senator A. Rehman Malik demanded the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to tender an apology for alleging Pakistan for sending troops to Azerbaijan. He said that Azerbaijan was forced to take the initiative to implement the resolutions of the UNSC itself. 

He added that Azerbaijan had almost implemented UNSC Resolution No. 874 on its own and liberated the cities of Jabral and Zanglian. He said: “I believe in the territorial integrity of every country and the world knows that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not new but this conflict exists since the early 20th century.” 

Senator Malik said that the current conflict came up in 1988 when Armenians demanded the transfer of Karabakh to 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 international map Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized 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. 

The senator explained that resolution 874 is reaffirming 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 added: “I wish if 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 sit together and find out a way forward to live with peace like good neighbors.

To a question, Senator Rehman Malik said that 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. 

He said: “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, Islamabad doesn’t interfere in other country’s affairs, however, would continue extending its diplomatic and moral support to Baku. 

He added, “We do not recognise Armenia due to its illegitimate actions and aggression.” Condemning Arminian PM’s statement, he said that such statements coming from Armenia are baseless and Pakistan denies the allegation of Pakistani troops’ participation in war. 

He said, “I would like to make it clear and 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 will continue to support the people of Azerbaijan on diplomatic and political fronts.

To another question, Senator A. Rehman Malik that UNSC has utterly failed to have its resolution implemented and been reluctant towards the settlement of this conflict and failed to implement its resolutions, consequently, it gave Armenia free hand to expedite. 

He said that it is a matter of record that Azerbaijan was restrained for the sake of peace in the region and the present action is justifiable by Azerbaijan during the ongoing crisis. 

The lawmaker congratulated the government, armed forces and people of Azerbaijan for liberating villages from Armenian occupation and hoped “UNSC gets up and fulfill its duties to ensure the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and I am sure that Azerbaijan will get original borders completely restored.” 

He said that his full support and prayers are with the government, armed forces, and the people of Azerbaijan.