A survey conducted by this newspaper on Tuesday unveiled a palpable enthusiasm among the youth, who are eagerly poised to cast their votes in the Wednesday election. Similar to Pakistan, Azerbaijan also boasts a burgeoning youth population ready to actively contribute to the country’s development

Ansar M Bhatti

In Azerbaijan

BAKU: Azerbaijan is all set to elect a new President in Wednesday’s presidential election as people are fully geared up to exercise their right through a free, fair and transparent ballot. The Election Commission of Azerbaijan has made elaborate arrangements to ensure an inclusive and transparent election.

The voting shall start at 8 am in the morning till 7 pm. Every citizen of Azerbaijan who has active election right and has reached 18 years on the day of the elections is eligible to participate in the elections and cast his or her vote.

The observer, including that of from Pakistan, have been allocated special badges who may conduct election observation in the whole territory of Azerbaijan. The Central Election Commission has made elaborate arrangement for the international observers in order to provide them with an ample opportunity of performing their duties without any hindrance.

Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev was celebrated as a national hero after Azerbaijani Army liberated the occupied territories ending one of the most bitter standoffs of the post-Soviet era.

President Ilham Aliyev’s tenure has been marked by monumental progress across all facets of Azerbaijani society, showcasing his adept leadership and profound impact on the country’s destiny.

In order to ensure transparency in the Presidential elections, the Commission  has installed webcams in 1000 polling stations on 119 election constituencies within the framework of technical and other conditions necessary to ensure effective and consistent broadcasting opportunities with the aim of continuous monitoring of the processes in polling stations from the beginning to the end on the voting day.

The head of the observer mission from the SCO held a meeting with the Central Election Commissioner and expressed his hope the elections would bring further prosperity to Azerbaijan.

‘Presidential elections are a very significant event. We believe that the results of the presidential election in Azerbaijan will be successful for the future development of this country,” Zhang Ming, head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) delegation and Secretary General of the organization, said at a meeting with Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panahov.

He further said that they had so far, monitored 69 election processes. ‘We believe that the elections will be held in a fair and transparent manner. According to the statute, the purpose of our mission is to promote general principles, non-interference in the internal affairs of the country, identification of shortcomings, and other issues’, he added.

A survey conducted by this newspaper on Tuesday unveiled a palpable enthusiasm among the youth, who are eagerly poised to cast their votes in the Wednesday election. Similar to Pakistan, Azerbaijan also boasts a burgeoning youth population ready to actively contribute to the country’s development.

Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy fraternal relations. These relations are established on our past historical traditions. It is no coincidence that Pakistan is one of the first states to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan after Azerbaijan declared its independence. Pakistan whole-heartedly supported Azerbaijan in its Patriotic War against Armenia, in which the valiant Azerbaijani forces inflicted sheer defeat upon the Armenia forces and liberated its territories occupied by Armenia.

In a demonstration of unwavering solidarity, Azerbaijan wholeheartedly stands by Pakistan in the Kashmir issue. Strengthening the bond between the two nations, Azerbaijan has initiated direct flights from Pakistan to Azerbaijan, marking yet another milestone in their flourishing bilateral relations. This move not only fosters greater connectivity but also underscores the mutual commitment to deepening diplomatic and people to people ties and fostering cooperation between the two countries.