Pakistan and Uzbekistan Sign Historic Joint Declaration in Islamabad

By Sadia Khan :

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan from now onwards would be measured by trade flows, investment projects, industrial partnerships and people-to-people exchanges, Radio Pakistan reported.

According to the report, he made the remarks while addressing the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum in Islamabad alongside Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who is in Islamabad on an official visit.

In his remarks, the premier said that it was in this spirit that both countries had set an “ambitious yet easily achievable target of increasing our bilateral trade to $2 billion”, the report said.

He said the two countries had also signed a protocol, which would lead to the constitution of a working group to draft a five-year roadmap in order to promote trade, investment, and joint collaboration in research and development, information technology and agriculture, it added.

PM Shehbaz also said that tourism was another area in which both countries could benefit from each other’s experience.

“He expressed the confidence that business-to-business memoranda of understanding worth $3.4bn are going to materialise,” the report said.

The premier also stated that Pakistan considered Uzbekistan not only a partner but a gateway to Central Asia with great potential for joint ventures with Pakistani entrepreneurs, it added.

Meanwhile, the visiting dignitary urged the business communities of both countries to come forward to tap the full trade potential between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

“He assured a ten-year tax exemption to Pakistani businesses in addition to all possible facilitation. The Uzbek president emphasised that both countries have a great trade potential in diverse areas,” the report said.

‘Pakistan committed to boosting ties with Uzbekistan in diverse fields’

Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari said that Pakistan was committed to elevating bilateral relations with Uzbekistan to “new heights” through closer cooperation in connectivity, trade and people-to-people contacts, according to a separate report by Radio Pakistan.

According to the report, President Zardari met with Uzbekistan President Mirziyoyev and expressed the confidence that the visit would prove “productive and forward-looking”.

“President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with Uzbekistan to further strengthen cooperation in trade, connectivity, defence, security, culture and heritage,” Radio Pakistan said.

He noted that direct air links between the two countries had brought the people of the two countries closer and underscored the importance of regional connectivity initiatives, including the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway Project, while highlighting the need to address remaining challenges through collective efforts, the national radio broadcaster said.

During the meeting, President Zardari highlighted the “steady growth in bilateral trade in recent years and underscored the need to realise the true economic potential of the relationship, with the shared objective of expanding trade to two billion dollars as agreed by the two sides,” the report said.

“He also stressed the importance of enhancing people-to-people contacts, tourism cooperation and cultural exchanges, drawing on the rich historical and spiritual links between the two nations,” it added.

President Zardari also expressed the need to extend collaboration and facilitation between the financial institutions, including banks, to support trade and investment flows, it added.

Radio Pakistan quoted Uzbek President Mirziyoyev as saying that the country attached great importance to strengthening friendship and the strategic partnership with Pakistan.

“He noted with satisfaction the steady growth in bilateral contacts at various levels, including the expansion of trade, an increase in joint ventures, and the implementation of cooperation projects in priority sectors of the economy,” it said.

It added that President Mirziyoyev directed his concerned minister to coordinate with the Pakistani counterpart in this regard.

“The Uzbek president emphasised the need to further expand practical cooperation through closer political dialogue, stronger trade, economic and investment ties, and more active business exchanges,” the state-run broadcaster said.

It stated that President Mirziyoyev invited his Pakistani counterpart to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan.

“He said two additional direct flights would be added between the two countries, taking the total number of weekly flights to six, to further facilitate people-to-people contacts, tourism and business exchanges,” it added.

During the meetings, the two presidents also discussed the regional situation, including matters affecting peace, stability and security, it said.

Later, President Zardari conferred the Nishan-i-Pakistan on President Mirziyoyev in recognition of his contribution to strengthening Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations, the report added.

Joint communique underscores commitment to connectivity, cooperation

Separately, Pakistan and Uzbekistan underscored their commitment to further deepen bilateral ties and strengthen cooperation in a joint declaration, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Friday.

The joint declaration, signed by Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said that the leaders held comprehensive and in-depth discussions covering the full spectrum of bilateral relations between the two countries.

“The two sides reaffirmed their strong resolve to comprehensively develop and strengthen cooperation in order to support each other’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, while advancing sustainable development aligned with the long-term national interests of the people of both states,” the declaration read.

The two sides also exchanged views on key issues, such as regional peace and security, connectivity and trade, and expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation developed over the last 34 years, since the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

The declaration noted that these relations were “firmly anchored in longstanding bonds of friendship, as well as deep historical, cultural and spiritual affinities between the two nations”.

According to the joint statement, both nations underscored their commitment to deepen bilateral ties and elevate cooperation “to a qualitatively new level that advances the core interests of both nations”, it said.

The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to the joint declaration signed after PM Shehbaz’s visit to Uzbekistan in February 2025, noting that the roadmap for the implementation of the decisions reached during that visit provided a blueprint for further deepening bilateral relations in multiple areas of cooperation.

PM Shehbaz and President Mirziyoyev regarded the decision to establish a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) during last year’s visit as a significant milestone.

“This mechanism provides close guidance and monitoring of the top leadership on bilateral cooperation,” the declaration stated.

They welcomed the inaugural meeting of the HLSCC during Mirziyoyev’s visit to Pakistan, wherein the two leaders “reached important decisions on furthering bilateral cooperation”.

The leaders also commended the work of the Joint Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan in promoting trade and commerce between the two countries.

“They noted with satisfaction the conduct of the 10th session of the IGC, held in Islamabad on Feb 2, and hoped to achieve the targets set therein in the stated timeframe,” the statement said.

Further, they welcomed the signing of the framework agreement of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project in July 2025, and noted the significance of connectivity as a means of regional integration, transit trade and socio-economic development in the region.

The two sides reiterated their commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and acknowledged the importance of this cooperation in promoting efficient, reliable, and cost-effective transport links, thereby contributing to deeper economic integration and strengthened bilateral and regional trade relations, according to the declaration.

To this end, they expressed their commitment to take measures necessary for the early operationalisation of an MoU on Multimodal Transport that was signed in September 2024. Pakistan also reaffirmed its readiness to provide access to its seaports for Uzbek transit cargo and to make available its road network of international standards to support Uzbek trade and transit requirements, the declaration said.

The leaders acknowledged the fact that Uzbekistan was the first country in Central Asia with which Pakistan had signed a Transit Trade Agreement as well as a Preferential Trade Agreement. They welcomed the growing volume of trade and commerce between the two countries.

They also reiterated their commitment towards achieving a $2 billion bilateral trade target by 2029.

The sides agreed to establish a joint management of economic or industrial zones in each country in order to create favourable conditions for developing industrial cooperation between the two countries, aimed primarily at exporting finished products to third countries, the declaration added.

“Noting the important role of interregional dialogue in promoting trade and economic cooperation, unlocking new opportunities and identifying new areas of growth for collaboration, the two leaders welcomed the signing of the framework agreement establishing the Inter-Regional Forum. The sides agreed to hold the first forum of regions of the two countries in the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2026 at mutually agreed dates,” it said.

According to the statement, both leaders expressed their satisfaction on the progress made by both sides for completing phase-II of expansion of the PTA, signing the Bilateral Investment Treaty and agreeing to explore the possibility of signing an agreement on aligning SPS measures and mutual recognition of standards to help Joint Ventures in pharmaceuticals, textile, leather industries, agriculture, minerals and engineering goods, and enhancing e-commerce cooperation.

They also emphasised the need to further diversify trade corridors between Uzbekistan and Pakistan to amend the existing Intergovernmental Agreement on Transit Trade for this purpose, it said.

In addition, both countries expressed their readiness to maintain regular dialogue and build constructive cooperation in the area of security and defence.

They expressed satisfaction at the level of defence cooperation, welcoming the recent engagements between the two sides in this regard, including the staff talks and high-level exchanges, the declaration said.

“In order to further promote cooperation in this area, they agreed to continue mutual participation in joint military exercises and training, and to cooperate in the field of professional development, exchange of best practices and collaboration between military institutions of the two countries.”

Additionally, they reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations (UN) Charter and its purposes and principles. They pledged to consider each other’s initiatives favourably at multilateral fora.

“They underlined that sustained dialogue and peaceful engagement in accordance with the UN Charter, General Assembly and Security Council Resolutions remain essential for addressing longstanding issues and disputes, and advancing peace, stability and prosperity in South and Central Asia,” the declaration added.

Further, the countries agreed to extend favourable consideration to each other’s upcoming candidatures for various positions within international organisations, particularly at the UN.

Uzbekistan commended Pakistan on its contributions to advancing peace and security as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2025-2026, and congratulated Pakistan on its successful presidency of the UNSC during June 2025.

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz congratulated the Uzbek president on the successful hosting of the 43rd session of the Unesco General Conference in Samarkand in 2025.

The declaration added that Uzbekistan expressed “full support” for Pakistan to work as the rotating chairman of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for 2026-2027.

It also congratulated Pakistan on assuming the chairmanships of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the SCO for the term 2025-2026, and the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) for the term 2026-2027.

“In addition, the Pakistan side noted its regular participation in the meetings of working groups on Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO (World Trade Organisation) and its support for Uzbekistan’s early accession to the organisation,” it said.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan underlined the significance of peace and stability in Afghanistan as being “key to lasting regional peace, stability and prosperity in general and the successful implementation of the UAP Railway Project in particular”.

“The two leaders called on Afghanistan to address the threats of terrorism, and to take immediate and concrete actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security, and prevent terrorist organisations from using the Afghan territory for terrorism against any other country,” the declaration said.

They also reaffirmed the importance of their constructive roles in promoting peace, stability, and just resolution of global conflicts, including expressing their support for the people of Palestine and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The two sides underscored that the talks held during the visit and the bilateral documents signed will serve to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, the statement added.

According to the declaration, Mirziyoyev invited PM Shehbaz to visit Uzbekistan “at a convenient time in order to further develop comprehensive cooperation”.

“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif kindly accepted the invitation,” it said.

About Author