Uzbekistan, Pakistan forges a broader strategic Partnership on upcoming visit of President Mirziyoyev

ISLAMABAD, Jan 26 (APP): In the coming month of February 2026, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will visit Pakistan, marking a pivotal moment in elevating their ties to a robust strategic partnership.
This high-level engagement builds on surging political dialogue and targets a core economic goal, boosting bilateral trade to $2 billion soon.
Discussions will shift focus from basic goods exchange to industrial collaboration, joint high-tech ventures, and tariff reductions via an expanded Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), said a statement issued here.
A impressive growth and ambitious targets set for bilateral trade hit $404 million by the end of 2024, climbing to $434.4 million from January to November 2025—a 16.9% rise over the prior year and 22% above 2023 levels.
According to a statement, yet both nations see untapped potential. Leaders have set clear benchmarks: reach $1 billion short-term and $2 billion medium-term and achieving this demands restructuring trade moving beyond raw materials to deep processing, industrial chains, and barrier removal.
Bilateral ease of tariff, digital tools, and streamlined trade, the 2022 Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) forms the base, with plans to expand covered goods from 17 to 100 and an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system between customs agencies will enable real-time cargo data sharing, slashing paperwork, border delays, and unpredictability.
The efforts also target non-tariff hurdles like unified standards for sanitary, phytosanitary, and quarantine rules, speeding up clearance for agriculture and light industry.
The financial upgrades are crucial too and the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) will open an Uzbekistan branch in 2026, easing payments and enabling trade financing.
This follows 2025 talks in Karachi with Pakistan’s State Bank and banks like HBL and Meezan, harmonizing accounts and compliance to cut costs for SMEs.
The key sectors driving industrial ties are textiles lead the charge and Uzbekistan seeks $2 billion in investments to process cotton deeper, partnering with Pakistan’s garment experts.
Already, 130 Pakistani-Uzbek joint ventures operate there, blending Uzbekistan’s cheap energy and raw materials with Pakistan’s tech for global exports.
Pharma follows suit, with Uzbekistan’s $3 billion import needs drawing Pakistani firms to Tashkent Pharma Park. Novugen Pharma produces locally, while Bio Labs and Caraway signed memorandums; incentives include tax breaks and duty-free equipment imports.
Other areas include leather/footwear processing, copper mining at Almalyk (AMMC), and agricultural machinery/electrical equipment via industrial zones.
Agriculture, Complementary Flows and Innovation
Pakistan buys 19.5% of Uzbekistan’s fruit/veg exports. Uzbekistan aims to ramp up fresh produce, legumes, and processed foods; Pakistan supplies mangoes, mandarins, potatoes, “1121 Sella” rice, and chilled meat via firms like OFood, Sindhu United, and Fauji Meat.
Beyond trade, a Memorandum of Understanding links Uzbekistan’s Agriculture Ministry and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) for seeds, breeding, and tech.
Projects with Watercon cover aeroponic potatoes, frost-resistant olives, oil processing, and high-yield goat breeds (up to 10 liters milk/day).
Toward regional integration, the visit signals a pragmatic shift to infrastructure and execution and the Trans-Afghan railway—now in feasibility studies—promises Uzbekistan sea access via Karachi/Gwadar, cutting costs, while positioning Pakistan as a Central Asia gateway.
Outcomes include PTA expansion, joint projects, and a new Supreme Council of Strategic Partnership, launching in 2026 for ongoing coordination.
This builds a resilient model blending economics, infrastructure, and leadership commitment.