Uzbekistan and Pakistan to develop a new “roadmap” for cooperation

Today, February 6, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, participated in a joint business forum with Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, in Islamabad as part of his state visit’s business program.

The event was attended by over 300 leading industrial enterprises, trading companies, sector organizations, and business association representatives from both countries.

On the Pakistani side, participating companies included PEL, Waves Singer, Sadaqat, Fauji, Platinum, Fast Cables, National Fruit, Amson Group, Shaigan, Hans International, Secure Logistics Group, NLC, Fairmont, Go Dairy, Engro, Herbion, AGP, Arco, Habib Rafiq, Pakistan Steel Mills, Siddiq Sons, Uniworth, Diners, Fatima Group, Fateh Group, Hub Leather, Siddiq Leather, Royal Leather, Davis, Ahsan Dyeing, and numerous others.

In his speech, the Uzbek President expressed his satisfaction that the high-level talks had opened a new phase in Uzbekistan–Pakistan relations, particularly in advancing trade, economic, and investment cooperation.

For the first time in the history of bilateral relations, a declaration was signed aimed at giving new quality to economic cooperation and targeting a trade volume of 2 billion USD.

Officials from both countries were tasked with developing a comprehensive “roadmap” and establishing mechanisms to resolve arising issues promptly.

The Uzbek President highlighted key areas of economic partnership, including pharmaceuticals and healthcare, light industry, mining and metallurgy, geology, and food security.

Pakistani companies were invited to participate in projects to localize pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical equipment in Uzbekistan, with favorable conditions being created for investors at the Tashkent Pharmaceutical Park.

Significant potential was noted for joint production of finished textile products for international brands. Uzbekistan is ready to place its textile factories under reliable management and establish dedicated leather industry zones for Pakistani partners.

Collaborative projects in meat, potato, and rice production, as well as seed cultivation and breeding, were emphasized, with special attention to partnerships with the Pakistan National Genomics Institute.

Strengthening interconnection in transport and logistics was identified as a crucial condition for further increasing trade volume.

Freight transport along the Pakistan–China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan corridor, as well as new air routes to Lahore and Islamabad, has been launched, and the Trans-Afghan railway project is being promoted. From April this year, cargo flights to Karachi and direct passenger flights to Lahore will be operational.

To practically strengthen regional ties, the initiative to hold the first Interregional Forum this year has been supported.

At the conclusion of the event, the leaders of Uzbekistan and Pakistan signed a joint declaration on the agreements reached, specifying implementation timelines and identifying the responsible ministries and agencies in both countries.

Additionally, a series of investment and trade-economic agreements were exchanged in the presence of the leaders.