- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Jan 29 (APP):The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad in collaboration with the Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies, (ISRS), Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Thursday hosted an Expert Online Conference titled “Pakistan and Uzbekistan: Strategic Partnership, Connectivity, and Sustainable Development in a Changing World”.
The event brought together policymakers, diplomats, and experts from Pakistan and Uzbekistan to discuss regional cooperation in a changing global environment. The conference was a prelude to Uzbekistan President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s historic visit to Pakistan in the first week of February, 2026, said a press release.
The proceedings commenced with welcome remarks by Director ISRS Uzbekistan Eldor Aripov, President IRS Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Alisher Tukhtaev and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan Ahmed Farooq, who collectively highlighted the significance of deepening strategic dialogue and unlocking regional connectivity opportunities.
The first thematic session on political dialogue and security issues, moderated by ISRS Deputy Director Bakhtiyor Mustafayev, featured Director of the Institute for Advanced International Studies Akram Umarov and President Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies Muhammad Amir Rana. It focused on regional security dynamics, cross-border challenges, and political coordination in the context of developments in the wider region.
The second session focused on economic and industrial cooperation, where Ms. Nodira Abdunazarova, Head of the Department, Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Studies in Uzbekistan and Haroon Sharif, Leading Economist, Former Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Investment discussed avenues for expanding bilateral trade, strengthening industrial partnerships and enhancing economic linkages between the two countries.
The third session was moderated by Mr. Hamzah Rifaat, Head of the Central Asia Program at IRS, titled Transport and Logistics Interconnectivity. Mr. Bekzod Kholmatov, Director Center for Transport and Logistics Studies, Ministry of Transport in the Republic of Uzbekistan and Maj. Gen (r) Dr. Muhammad Samrez Salik, Former DG, Institute for Strategic Studies Research and Analysis (ISSRA), NDU, Islamabad. The session focused on regional transport corridors, logistics connectivity, and interregional integration amid current geopolitical challenges.
The final session on Human Capital, Education, and Technology featured Mr. Quvonchbek Mahmudov, Researcher at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies and Dr. Amina Khan, Director, Center of Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA), at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan. It highlighted cooperation in education, skills development, technology, and academic exchanges as key drivers of the sustainable partnership between Tashkent and Islamabad.
The conference concluded with closing remarks by Eldor Aripov and Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, reaffirming the commitment of Pakistan and Uzbekistan to deepening cooperation across strategic, economic, and developmental domains.