The president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar met on Thursday to talk about regional and bilateral issues, such as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Indian atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). The meeting was held in conjunction with the 16th Economic Cooperation Organisation Summit, which was being held in this location. The two leaders discussed how bilateral relations have progressed, particularly with regard to commerce, energy, and defence. The announcement that Azerbaijan Airline (AZAL) will begin offering direct flights to Pakistan was warmly received by Prime Minister Kakar, who described it as a step forward for two-way commerce and tourism as well as a positive development in people-to-people interactions.