Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif discusses economic partnership with Azerbaijan economy minister

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, urban development, agriculture, logistics, tourism and infrastructure

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2026) Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov and discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, urban development, agriculture, logistics, tourism and infrastructure.

During the meeting, both sides formally agreed to establish a joint working group to facilitate economic cooperation and investment between Punjab and Azerbaijan, said a handout issued here on Wednesday.

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

The two sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, investment linkages and institutional partnerships between Punjab and Azerbaijan. Discussions were also held on prospects of a Preferential Trade Arrangement (PTA) between Pakistan and Azerbaijan aimed at improving market access, reducing trade barriers and increasing bilateral trade volume.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening longstanding friendly relations with Azerbaijan and stressed the need for organised economic engagement in key sectors, including trade, investment, urban development, agriculture, logistics, tourism and infrastructure.

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 (PPP), and facilitate investor coordination and project development.

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The meeting also discussed frameworks for sectoral cooperation in infrastructure, housing, agriculture, tourism and energy. Mechanisms for regulatory facilitation and ease of doing business will also be developed, while the working group is expected to present actionable proposals within the next few months to transform political goodwill into tangible economic outcomes.

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 newly established working group.

The chief minister highlighted Punjab’s ongoing economic transformation agenda, including reforms in land-use policy, development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and the upcoming Punjab Economic Transformation Plan.

Punjab’s economic strategy focuses on industrial modernisation, exports and value addition. Discussions were also held on investment 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 commitment to developing a long-term and structured framework for Pakistan-Azerbaijan economic partnership.