On February 5, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif held narrow-format talks and the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Islamabad.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Head of our state congratulated his Pakistani counterpart on the upcoming holy month of Ramadan and Pakistan Day.
Practical issues related to further expanding and strengthening Uzbek-Pakistani relations of strategic partnership and multifaceted cooperation were comprehensively reviewed in the context of implementing high-level agreements.
The high level of interaction achieved in recent years was noted with satisfaction. Political dialogue continues to strengthen, while inter-parliamentary and inter-departmental exchanges are developing dynamically.
By the end of last year, the volume of mutual trade had reached nearly 500 million US dollars. Around 230 enterprises with Pakistani capital are currently operating in Uzbekistan. The number of flights between the two countries has increased and interbank correspondent relations are being strengthened.
Cooperation projects in the textile, pharmaceutical, chemical industries, agriculture, and other sectors are being successfully implemented.
The parties welcomed the productive outcomes of the political consultations and the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission held on the eve of the visit.
An exhibition of industrial products of Uzbekistan is taking place as part of the visit.
The need to hold the first meeting of the Coordination Committee of the foreign ministries of the two countries in Tashkent in the near future was noted.
To establish long-term partnerships between business communities, an agreement was reached to create an Uzbek-Pakistani Business Council.
A task was set to increase bilateral trade turnover to 2 billion US dollars in the near future. Decisions were taken to significantly expand the product range under the existing Preferential Trade Agreement, broaden the list of phytosanitary permits for Uzbek agricultural products, and actively utilize Uzbekistan’s trade houses in Lahore and Karachi.
As part of the preparations for the visit, a portfolio of projects worth nearly 3.5 billion US dollars has been formed in the fields of agriculture, electrical engineering, geology, pharmaceuticals, light and food industries, and other sectors.
Particular attention was paid to the development of transport and logistics connectivity. The importance of accelerating the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway construction project, as well as promoting the "Pakistan – China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan" transport corridor, was emphasized.
Interregional cooperation was identified as one of the key drivers of economic cooperation development.
An agreement was reached to establish an Uzbek-Pakistani Forum of Regions, with the first meeting proposed to be held this year in the Khorezm region.
Issues related to the establishment of systematic cooperation in the field of pilgrimage tourism were discussed separately. In order to further bring the peoples of the two countries closer, it was agreed to hold. Uzbekistan Culture Weeks and Uzbek Cinema Days in Pakistan this year.
The Head of our state also proposed the establishment of a joint cultural center in Lahore to promote the Baburid heritage.
During the talks, views were exchanged on topical issues of the international and regional agenda, and commitment to continuing close cooperation within multilateral structures was reaffirmed.
In conclusion, Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited Shehbaz Sharif to pay a return visit to Uzbekistan.
