PM Shehbaz vows to deepen Pakistan-Uzbekistan ties

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its strategic partnership with Uzbekistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its strategic partnership with Uzbekistan.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Bishkek, where the two leaders were attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting.

The prime minister stressed the need to turn the strong political relationship between Pakistan and Uzbekistan into practical economic gains for the people of both countries.

He called for the timely implementation of decisions agreed upon by the leadership of the two countries, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have set a joint target of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029. Shehbaz Sharif emphasised that achieving this target would require stronger engagement between businesses in both countries.

He also called for effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement and encouraged companies to explore mutually beneficial joint ventures.

Regional connectivity was another major focus of the meeting. The prime minister highlighted the strategic importance of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project.

The proposed railway could provide Uzbekistan with access to Pakistan’s seaports while creating stronger transport and trade links between Central and South Asia.

Shehbaz Sharif stressed the need to make early progress on the joint feasibility study for the project. He also called for greater use of existing multimodal transport routes connecting the region.

Pakistan, he said, was ready to facilitate Uzbek trade through its ports and transport infrastructure.

The two leaders also discussed opportunities to expand cooperation in several sectors. These included industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technology, education and culture.

Defence and security cooperation also remained part of the discussions.

The prime minister further supported efforts to improve air connectivity between the two countries. He particularly welcomed progress towards establishing direct flights between Tashkent and Karachi.

Shehbaz Sharif appreciated Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s upcoming chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State. He expressed Pakistan’s desire to work closely with Uzbekistan on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development.

The two countries also discussed continued coordination through the Economic Cooperation Organization and other international forums.

During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif congratulated President Mirziyoyev and the people of Uzbekistan on the country’s 35th Independence Day.

The prime minister also recalled President Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Pakistan in February 2026. He said the visit, along with the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, had given fresh momentum to bilateral relations.