Punjab, Azerbaijan form joint economic working group

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Azerbaijan's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov have decided to establish a joint working group to facilitate economic cooperation and investment.

The CM met the Azerbaijan minister and both leaders agreed to expand organised economic engagement, particularly in trade, investment, urban development, agriculture, logistics, tourism and infrastructure.

Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb was appointed head of the joint working group on behalf of the Punjab government.

According to a statement issued here, the two sides agreed to strengthen economic cooperation, investment linkages and institutional partnerships between Punjab and Azerbaijan.

Discussions were also held on the prospects of a Preferential Trade Arrangement (PTA) between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.

CM Maryam Nawaz reaffirmed her commitment to strengthen the longstanding friendly relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan.

It was decided that the joint working group would include relevant government departments and technical experts from both sides.

The group will identify priority sectors for cooperation and joint ventures, organise opportunities for public-private partnerships and facilitate investor coordination and project development.

Frameworks for sectoral cooperation in infrastructure, housing, agriculture, tourism and energy will also be proposed. Mechanisms for regulatory facilitation and ease of doing business will be developed, the statement added.

CM Maryam Nawaz invited the Azerbaijani economy minister to visit Pakistan. Both leaders expressed resolve to deepen institutional linkages and maintain close coordination through the working group.

The chief minister highlighted Punjab's reforms in land-use policy, development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and the upcoming Punjab Economic Transformation Plan.

Discussions were also held on opportunities for Azerbaijani investors in smart cities, real estate, hospitality, agri-value chains, logistics and IT infrastructure.

Both sides agreed to accelerate follow-up engagements to transform discussions into investment-ready projects and reaffirmed their joint commitment to developing a long-term and structured framework for Pakistan-Azerbaijan economic partnership.