President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan on 8 May received the delegation led by Chairman of the Pakistani Senate Committee on Human Rights Senator Seyyed Muhammad Zafar.

Presenting the “Best Governed Moslem State” Award to President Ilham Aliyev, Senator Seyyed Muhammad Zafar said:

“Your Excellency Mr. President,

By Your permission, I wish to express to our Azerbaijani brothers deep gratitude for high hospitality, rendered to delegation of “Pakistan Observer” since yesterday evening when we have arrived here. It is a great honor to be here and on behalf of the newspaper “Pakistan Observer” to hand over to Your Excellency the authoritative ‘Best Governed Muslim State’ Award which the President of the Azerbaijan Republic has been bestowed on.

Dear Mr. President, this Award has been founded in 2005 by the newspaper “Pakistan Observer”, possessing wide reader's audience in Pakistan, with a view of rendering assistance to development of efficient management in the Islamic world. As a result of wide discussions and consultations lead with participation of numerous experts, analysts, researchers and of some other known people of Pakistan, the editorial board of the newspaper “Pakistan Observer” has made a decision on delivery of this Award to Your Excellency”.

Further the guest said:

“The Award is directed on development of efficient management among the Islamic states. Correct management is the major factor and means of realization of hopes and wishes of the people connected with more safe life, skills to take a worthy place among nations of the world, therefore, the establishment of such Award has been recognized necessary.

Mr. President, in the internal policy you have undertaken such grandiose work as reorganization of the state, have achieved significant successes in strengthening democratic values and carrying out of reforms in political, economic and social spheres. Among your valuable merits it is possible to name attraction of people to participation in the questions representing national interest, upbringing the feelings of national pride, tolerance, education and brotherhood. Owing to the steps undertaken by you, the people had feeling of the unity, considered important for development and tranquility of any people, established peace and stability.

Thanks to far-sighted policy of the great Heydar Aliyev, who headed the recently established independent Azerbaijan state, your country has achieved significant progress in political, economic and social spheres’.

Senator Seyyed Muhammad Zafar further said:

“Today Azerbaijan can serve as a bright example of distribution of idea of educational liberalism among the Islamic countries. Tolerance existing in Azerbaijan between the Islam, Christianity, Judaism and other religions is worthy admiration. Mr. President, one of Your significant successes is that in Azerbaijan there are no such problems as extreme measure and radicalism. It foretells tranquility, which expects your country in the future. You managed to achieve national unity in the country. You really deserve to be named as the fair government.

Mr. President, for us it is great honor to hand over to You this Award”.

President Ilham Aliyev has expressed gratitude for the Award. Having noted, that Pakistan is one of the closest allies of Azerbaijan in the world, he ascertained, that relations between two countries are high level. President Ilham Aliyev has highly estimated complete support by Pakistan of the fair position of Azerbaijan connected with aggression of Armenia against the country and the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.