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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan committed to providing landlocked Uzbekistan access to its warm water seaports during a two-day state visit by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, according to a joint declaration issued by the Foreign Office on Friday. The Uzbek president and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks covering bilateral relations and regional security issues during the February 5-6 state visit. Pakistan pledged to make available its seaports for Uzbek transit cargo and provide access to its road network for trade and transit requirements. It aims to enhance regional connectivity and economic integration between the two countries. The leaders also pledged to support each other&#39;s sovereignty and territorial integrity while advancing cooperation in areas including trade, culture and defense. Both sides expressed satisfaction with relations developed over 34 years since establishing diplomatic ties, citing shared historical and cultural bonds. The visit marked the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, established during PM Sharif&#39;s February 2025 visit to Uzbekistan. The mechanism provides top-level oversight of bilateral cooperation. Trade and connectivity The leaders agreed to reach a $2 billion bilateral trade target by 2029. Uzbekistan was the first Central Asian nation to sign transit and preferential trade agreements with Pakistan, according to the statement. Both countries welcomed the Framework Agreement signed in July 2025 for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Project, endorsing the Termiz-Kharlachi route. They committed to completing the project&#39;s feasibility study. The sides agreed to establish joint management of economic zones in both countries to facilitate industrial cooperation and exports to third markets, including the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe. Cultural and defense cooperation The leaders signed an agreement on preserving and promoting the scientific, educational and architectural heritage of the Baburid dynasty. They agreed to expand tourism cooperation through direct flights between Tashkent and Islamabad and Lahore, and to activate a Tourism Working Group. Both nations expressed readiness to maintain dialogue on security and defense, agreeing to continue joint military exercises and training programs. They pledged cooperation between law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism, separatism, extremism and drug trafficking. Regional issues According to the statement, the two leaders called on Afghanistan to dismantle terrorist organizations operating from its territory, citing regional security concerns and the importance of stability for the railway project&#39;s implementation. Both sides expressed support for Palestinian self-determination and an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders. Uzbekistan voiced support for Pakistan&#39;s rotating chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization for 2026-2027 and congratulated Pakistan on chairing the organization&#39;s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure for 2025-2026 and the Economic Cooperation Organization for 2026-2027. Meanwhile, Pakistan commended Uzbekistan for hosting the 43rd UNESCO General Conference session in Samarkand in 2025. Both nations pledged to deepen cooperation across trade, security and regional connectivity.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and President of Uzbekistan exchange protocol to improve the bilateral trade to $2 billion annually. (PMO)

Economy

As Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev concludes Islamabad visit, Pakistan pledges seaport access, boosts connectivity, sets ambitious trade targets, and deepens strategic cooperation across security, economy, and culture.

Pakistan opens seaports to Uzbekistan, strengthens regional connectivity push

ISLAMABAD: Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for a two-day state visit as Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed a wide-ranging set of agreements&nbsp;aimed&nbsp;at boosting bilateral trade to $2 billion over the next five years and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors, according to an official statement.&nbsp;Mirziyoyev, accompanied by a high-level delegation of cabinet ministers and business leaders, was welcomed at Nur Khan Airbase with a red-carpet reception. A 21-gun salute was fired, while a contingent of the Pakistan Armed Forces presented a guard of honor. Children in traditional dresses waved the national flags of both countries and presented floral bouquets to the visiting leader.&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif greeted the Uzbek president, describing the visit as an opportunity to &ldquo;further strengthen the close and brotherly ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and translate political understanding into concrete economic outcomes.&rdquo;&nbsp;The visit comes amid intensified regional engagement by Islamabad, following the 10th session of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission earlier this week, where both sides agreed on a time-bound plan to expand trade, investment and regional connectivity. It also follows a high-level visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, underscoring Pakistan&rsquo;s broader push to deepen economic links with Central Asian partners.&nbsp;During talks at the Prime Minister&rsquo;s House, Sharif and Mirziyoyev signed a bilateral trade and economic cooperation agreement, committing both sides to raise trade volumes to $2 billion within five years. The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding spanning trade and investment, defense, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, information technology, mining, energy, education, culture, disaster management and maritime cooperation.&nbsp;Key accords included a defense cooperation action plan, agreements on preferential trade, maritime connectivity through Karachi, Gwadar and Port Qasim, cooperation in pharmaceuticals, agriculture and food security, digital technologies, climate change and disaster risk reduction, as well as the establishment of a Pakistan-Uzbekistan Interregional Forum and a Joint Business Council to strengthen business-to-business ties.&nbsp;In remarks to the media, Sharif praised Mirziyoyev&rsquo;s role in advancing regional peace and development, saying:&nbsp;&ldquo;I would like to convey my heartfelt congratulations on [your] being awarded the highest civil award of Pakistan, Nishan-e-Pakistan, for your great services and contribution to strengthen our brotherly relations and your commitment to convert these friendly relations into economic cooperation, trade and investment.&rdquo;&nbsp;Sharif also highlighted the shared historical and cultural bonds between the two countries, noting:&nbsp;&ldquo;The Mughal legacy from the valley of Fergana and the intellectual luminaries of Samarkand and Bukhara have marked Pakistan&rsquo;s history. These historical facts provide a very sound foundation for our durable relations and a very bright future.&rdquo;&nbsp;The leaders inaugurated the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, a new mechanism designed to ensure implementation of bilateral decisions. They also discussed regional connectivity initiatives, including the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project, which Sharif described as &ldquo;a game changer, not only for our countries but for the entire region.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;We have agreed to constitute a joint working group to chart out a five-year plan covering all spheres of economic activity, with quarterly reviews to ensure tangible results,&rdquo; Sharif said.&nbsp;As part of the visit, the two leaders unveiled plaques for Tashkent Street and Babur Park in Islamabad. Mirziyoyev also visited Global Industrial &amp; Defense Solutions, where he met Pakistan&rsquo;s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to discuss defense cooperation.&nbsp;Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the visit as a milestone, saying,&nbsp;&ldquo;Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen and diversify the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.&rdquo;&nbsp;This is President Mirziyoyev&rsquo;s second visit to Pakistan in four years, reflecting what officials describe as the upward trajectory of bilateral relations, anchored in shared history and an expanding economic and strategic partnership across Central and South Asia.

Foreign Affairs

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev begins two-day state visit as Islamabad and Tashkent sign 28 agreements, pledging to raise bilateral trade to $2 billion and expand cooperation across key sectors.

Articles tagged with "President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev"

Pakistan opens seaports to Uzbekistan, strengthens regional connectivity push

Pakistan, Uzbekistan seal 28 deals, target $2B trade expansion