Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting. Both leaders reviewed cooperation in several key sectors, including industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and textiles.
Mining, digital technology, education and culture also featured in the discussions. The leaders further discussed defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
Leaders Push for Higher Bilateral Trade
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed the need to implement decisions taken by the leadership of both countries. He highlighted trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation as key areas for further progress.
The prime minister reiterated the shared goal of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029. He also called for the effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement.
Furthermore, Shehbaz encouraged stronger business-to-business engagement. He also backed joint ventures that could benefit both economies.
Regional connectivity emerged as another major focus of the meeting. The prime minister highlighted the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway as an important project for connecting Central and South Asia.
The proposed railway could also provide Uzbekistan with access to Pakistani seaports. Shehbaz called for early progress on the Joint Feasibility Study and greater use of existing multimodal transport routes.
Pakistan also reaffirmed its readiness to facilitate Uzbek trade through its ports and transport infrastructure. In addition, Shehbaz supported improved air connectivity, including progress towards direct Tashkent-Karachi flights.
The prime minister welcomed Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s upcoming SCO chairmanship. He expressed Pakistan’s desire to work closely with Uzbekistan on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development.
Both sides also reaffirmed the importance of cooperation through the Economic Cooperation Organization and other multilateral platforms.
Shehbaz said Pakistan remained committed to deepening its strategic partnership with Uzbekistan. He stressed the need to turn strong political ties into tangible economic benefits for the people of both countries.
