Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting and discussed further strengthening cooperation in industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technologies, education, culture, defence and security.
PM, Uzbekistan President discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in industry, agriculture
BISHKEK, Aug 31 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting and discussed further strengthening cooperation in industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technologies, education, culture, defence and security.
Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Commerce, Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister for Communications and Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting were also present.
The Prime Minister conveyed warm felicitations to President Mirziyoyev and the brotherly people of Uzbekistan on the 35th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence. Recalling President Mirziyoyev’s State Visit to Pakistan in February 2026, the Prime Minister noted that the visit and the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council had imparted fresh momentum to the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of timely implementation of decisions taken at the leadership level, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation. He reiterated the shared objective of increasing bilateral trade to US$2 billion by 2029 and called for effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement, greater business-to-business engagement and promotion of mutually beneficial joint ventures.
Highlighting regional connectivity as a shared strategic priority, the Prime Minister underscored the transformative potential of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway for linking Central and South Asia and facilitating Uzbekistan’s access to Pakistan’s seaports. He emphasized early progress on the Joint Feasibility Study and greater utilization of existing multimodal transport corridors. The Prime Minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate Uzbek trade through its ports and transport infrastructure.
The Prime Minister also supported enhanced air connectivity, including progress towards direct Tashkent-Karachi flights.
The Prime Minister appreciated Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s forthcoming Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State and expressed the desire to work closely with Uzbekistan on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development. He also emphasized continued cooperation within ECO and other multilateral forums.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its Strategic Partnership with Uzbekistan and translating the excellent political relationship into tangible economic benefits for the peoples of both countries.
