Pakistan, Armenia mull formal diplomatic ties

Pakistan and Armenia may soon establish diplomatic relations following the recent peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

On Friday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan.

During the call, Dar welcomed the "historic peace agreement" between Armenia and Azerbaijan, terming it a positive step for regional stability and prosperity.

According to the Foreign Office, the two leaders agreed to consider the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Yerevan. They also discussed avenues of bilateral cooperation as well as collaboration at multilateral fora.

The development is significant as Pakistan, along with Turkey, had for decades sided firmly with Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Islamabad has no diplomatic ties with Yerevan and consistently supported Baku's stance at the United Nations and other platforms. Armenia, in turn, has traditionally aligned itself with India, including in the defence sector, as a counterbalance to Pakistan's position.

However, the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, hailed internationally as a landmark accord that ended years of hostility, appears to have opened the door for a diplomatic thaw. For Pakistan, this shift signals an opportunity to recalibrate its foreign policy in the South Caucasus while retaining close ties with Azerbaijan.

If formalised, Pakistan-Armenia relations would mark a significant diplomatic realignment and could reduce long-standing friction in the region, observers say.