Pakistani newspapers publish articles on Khojaly genocide
Baku, February 23 (AZERTAC). Pakistani authoritative newspapers “The News” and “Daily Times” posted an article on Khojaly genocide by Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to this country Dashgin Shikarov.
The ambassador spoke of history of Nagorno-Karabakh region, Armenia`s aggressive and ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijan: “Interethnic violence erupted in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. About 300,000 Azerbaijanis living in Armenia were expelled from their homeland. Subsequently, same was the destiny of Azerbaijanis of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia exploited situation by invading the enclave and 7 other districts of Azerbaijan. Nearly one million civilians in total were driven from their homes during the savage fighting and subsequent ethnic cleansing of captured territories. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis lost their lives. In 1993 Mr. Heydar Aliyev was elected the President of Azerbaijan. The crisis unified Azerbaijanis behind their leader and a new national army was hastily established. By 1994 Azerbaijan Army was able to halt Armenian offensive. Once the fighting became a stalemate, a ceasefire agreement was signed and those combat positions have remained the demarcation line between Azerbaijan and Armenia till present day.”
The article says: “The act of genocide committed by Armenian aggressors in Khojaly town of Nagorno-Karabakh is the most tragic page of Azerbaijan`s modern history. The town was under the siege since October, 1991. Over night from February 25 to 26, 1992, Armenian armed forces with support of former Soviet regiment stormed Khojaly town firing by artillery, missiles and tanks. Hundreds of children, women, elderly, frostbitten and weaken in the deep snow and mountain passes became the victims of brutality of Armenians. Later, the Armenian side admitted that one of the main goals of Armenian armed forces was the “liquidation of Khojaly” and as it was said by one of the commanders of this genocide Serj Sarkisyan, who is presently the President of Armenia, “...our aim was to break a stereotype that Armenians can not annihilate civil population”.
The author underlines that the Khojaly genocide was not the first such act of Armenians. “In 1918 Armenian nationalists committed mass annihilation of Muslim population of Shamakhi, Baku, Guba, Salyan and many other cities of Azerbaijan. The policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis started in the beginning of 20th century. More than 500,000 Azerbaijanis were driven from their homes in Armenia during 1905-1948. Interestingly, the Khojaly atrocity was made by representatives of so-called “persecuted nation” who claims to be a victim of Turkish genocide. Those who oratories of human rights and values annihilated human beings with medieval brutality. Armenians own one of the largest terrorist network in the world namely ASALA, which murdered 44 Turkish diplomats all over the world.”
Azerbaijani Ambassador thanked the Pakistani government for supporting Azerbaijan`s position on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
