The brother who said “Karabakh is Azerbaijan!” when the world remained silent: The secret behind Imran Khan’s popularity in Azerbaijan

As previously reported, supporters of Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan have launched a protest march from the country’s northwest after talks with the government over ending the demonstration failed to produce an agreement.

When Imran Khan’s name is mentioned, attention inevitably turns to his relations with Azerbaijan. The ties between Imran Khan, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022, and Azerbaijan run deep. At the heart of this friendship is Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan during the 2020 Patriotic War. The position demonstrated by Pakistan at that time created a strong sense of gratitude toward Imran Khan among the Azerbaijani people.

Looking at the roots of this relationship, it becomes clear that its foundations were laid in the early years of Azerbaijan’s independence. Pakistan was the second country, after Türkiye, to recognize Azerbaijan’s independence in 1991. The two states share such unwavering solidarity that Pakistan remains one of the few countries that has not recognized Armenia as a state, in protest against Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories.

The shared Islamic identity, rich historical heritage and spirit of brotherhood connecting our peoples have also manifested themselves on the international stage. Both sides have consistently supported each other’s causes on platforms such as the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Pakistan has always stood by Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue, while Azerbaijan has supported Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.

During Imran Khan’s leadership, these relations became even more active and entered a new stage. In a letter addressed to Imran Khan on March 18, 2022, on the occasion of Pakistan Day, President Ilham Aliyev expressed his satisfaction with the existing level of relations between the two countries. The head of state emphasized that these relations, rooted in common heritage, had already reached the level of a strategic partnership and noted that the Azerbaijani people would never forget Pakistan’s political and moral support during the war. President Ilham Aliyev also specifically stated that he would be pleased to see Pakistani companies participate in the reconstruction of Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.

However, the greatest turning point etched into the memory of the Azerbaijani people was the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020. At a time when many countries around the world remained silent or sought to maintain a neutral position, the government led by Imran Khan stood firmly by Azerbaijan without hesitation. At the height of the war, on October 18 — Azerbaijan’s Independence Day — Imran Khan congratulated the Azerbaijani people on social media, expressed his deep respect for the army courageously defending its homeland, and declared to the world that Pakistan stood with Azerbaijan within the framework of UN resolutions.

Immediately after the victory, in a television interview on November 12, 2020, he spoke even more firmly. He said the Azerbaijani army had demonstrated tremendous courage, that Karabakh was by no means a disputed territory, and that the whole world knew that these lands belonged to Azerbaijan. According to him, Azerbaijanis had simply reclaimed their ancestral and historical lands.

In January of the following year, when Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov visited Islamabad, Imran Khan said that Pakistanis were celebrating this victory as their own and emphasized their readiness to provide all possible assistance in rebuilding the liberated territories. The Azerbaijani side, in turn, expressed gratitude for this sincere friendship and reaffirmed its support for Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. All these statements represented invaluable support for Azerbaijan.

During these years, contacts between the two countries increased rapidly. President Ilham Aliyev met with Imran Khan at the Davos Forum in January 2020 and invited him to Azerbaijan. Subsequently, important steps were also taken in the military sphere: meetings were held at the level of defense ministers, and a trilateral cooperation format involving Türkiye, Pakistan and Azerbaijan was established. In 2021, the three countries even held joint military exercises under the name “Three Brothers.”

Although Imran Khan was unable to make an official visit to Azerbaijan as prime minister, his courageous statements earned him a place in the hearts of Azerbaijanis.

He stood with us at our most difficult moment. He is known as “a loyal and great friend of our country.” At a time when everyone preferred to speak cautiously, his open declaration that “Karabakh is Azerbaijan” and his explicit praise for the heroism of the Azerbaijani army became permanently etched in the memory of our people.

Our people love him because he did not hide behind diplomatic phrases. He openly voiced Azerbaijan’s just struggle and embraced the victory of our army as if it were his own.

Giymat Mahir