UPDATE - Pakistan, Uzbekistan sign 28 pacts to deepen ties in trade, defense, connectivity

UPDATE THROUGHOUT—CHANGE IN HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA)—Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday signed 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding spanning defense, trade, climate action, and regional connectivity, and agreed to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion over the next five years.

The agreements were signed during a ceremony at the Prime Minister's office in Islamabad attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and visiting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who arrived on Thursday for a two-day state visit.

The agreements cover a wide range of sectors, including defense cooperation, agriculture, mining and geosciences, disaster management, climate change mitigation, and drug trafficking control.

Addressing the ceremony, Sharif congratulated Mirziyoyev on being awarded Pakistan’s highest civilian honor, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, praising his role in strengthening bilateral ties.

“This award is a symbol of Pakistan’s deep appreciation for your outstanding services in transforming our brotherly relations into concrete cooperation in trade, investment, and multiple economic sectors,” Sharif said.

A key outcome of the visit was the inaugural meeting of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, a new institutional framework designed to guide long-term collaboration.

“We are fully aligned on the importance of regional connectivity,” the prime minister said, pointing to the proposed Pakistan-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan railway project.

“This rail link will be a game changer not just for our two countries but for the entire region, and we are ready to jointly mobilize financing based on sound feasibility and business plans.”

Regarding Gaza, Sharif expressed Pakistan’s support for a lasting peace and a two-state solution for Palestine, emphasizing cooperation with other Muslim and Arab countries through the Board of Peace.

President Mirziyoyev, for his part, said the two sides held detailed discussions covering security, defense, trade, investment, and political cooperation, describing the decision to establish joint councils and working groups as a “historic step” and a “game changer” for bilateral ties.

He called Pakistan a “time-tested and reliable partner,” noting that Uzbekistan views the country as one of its closest friends.

The Uzbek president expressed full support for united efforts on global challenges, particularly Palestine, stressing the need to work together to provide long-awaited assistance to the Palestinian people and address emerging international crises through coordinated action.

Earlier, upon his arrival for a two-day state visit, he was welcomed by President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Sharif at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital, Islamabad.

The Uzbek president is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior Cabinet ministers and business leaders.

This is Mirziyoyev’s second visit to Pakistan, following his previous visit in 2022. Pakistan and Uzbekistan established formal diplomatic relations in 1992, and bilateral trade between the two countries reached approximately $450 million last year.

The Uzbek president arrived a day after Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev concluded his visit to Pakistan, marking the first state visit by a Kazakh leader in 23 years.

During Tokayev's trip, Pakistan and Kazakhstan elevated ties to "strategic partnership," and the two sides vowed to boost trade to $1 billion.