SHUSHA, Azerbaijan, September 29. The restoration work carried out by the government of Azerbaijan on the liberated lands is amazing, Chairman Board of Governors at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad (ISSI), Pakistan's former Ambassador to China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and former Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Khalid Mahmood told Trend on the sidelines of the 1st Azerbaijan Think tank Forum in Shusha.
“I was very saddened to see the extent of the destruction caused by the occupying forces. Not only life of civilians was disrupted, and infrastructure was destroyed, but even places of worship such as mosques were desecrated. The entire land is covered with mines, which more complicates the restoration process," Mahmood said.
At the same time, according to him, it’s nice to see how much effort the Azerbaijani government and people are putting into reconstruction process, as well as into building new infrastructure.
"Initiatives such as smart cities and villages, the airport in Fuzuli, which we saw today, are really impressive. I admire the efforts of the Azerbaijani government and people," the official added.
He stressed that Armenia should finally start moving towards a lasting peace for the benefit of the entire region.