Bilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan reaches a new level

The International Institute of Central Asia hosted a round table on the topic “Uzbekistan - Pakistan: strengthening bridges between regions, creating new opportunities for cooperation.”

The event was organized jointly with the Embassy of Pakistan in Uzbekistan and timed to coincide with the upcoming state visit of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Islamabad.

Opening the meeting, MICA Director Javlon Vakhabov emphasized that relations between Uzbekistan and Pakistan have evolved into a strategic partnership format thanks to the commitment of the leaders of both countries and practical initiatives. A clear confirmation of this is the growth of bilateral trade from $36.5 million in 2017 to almost $450 million in 2025. As Javlon Vakhabov noted, taking into account the positive dynamics, bringing bilateral trade volumes to $2 billion in the coming years seems to be an achievable goal.

During the discussion, experts from both countries discussed promising areas of cooperation in the fields of economics, transport, education, science, culture and tourism, and also proposed new joint projects for the regions of Central and South Asia.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Pakistan to the Republic of Uzbekistan Ahmed Farooq noted that the central geographical location of Uzbekistan, the growing population, as well as the consistent policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev make the country a significant partner for Pakistan. Developing transport and economic connectivity remains a key element of the relationship, benefiting the people of both countries and stimulating regional integration.

The event was attended by heads and representatives of government departments, international organizations, think tanks, the expert community and scientific institutions of Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

— The purpose of the round table was to develop practical proposals and formulate the agenda for the upcoming visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Pakistan, noted leading researcher at MITCA Sherzod Tanbaev. — Historically, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have always been closely connected in the cultural, social and political spheres. Our peoples are united by language, religion and common historical roots. This was especially evident during the period of the Great Baburid Empire, when relations between the two countries reached their peak. For example, the Uzbek language and Urdu have about two thousand similar words. Uzbek-Pakistani relations play a key role in the relations between Central and South Asia. They provide access to a market with a population of about 2 billion people and the region's economic power of $4 trillion. Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, is of strategic interest to Pakistan, and their cooperation is mutually beneficial. In particular, the region's population is expected to increase to 100 million by 2050, and through Uzbekistan, Pakistan will be able to more actively interact with the CIS countries. Uzbekistan is capable of acting as a hub or transit country, promoting economic, humanitarian and strategic cooperation. In recent years, interaction between the two countries has become especially intense, covering not only the economic, but also the military, security and other spheres.

The round table confirmed that cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan is reaching a new strategic level. Experts and representatives of the two countries emphasized the importance of further deepening economic, transport, educational and cultural ties. The implementation of joint initiatives and exchange of experience will not only strengthen bilateral relations, but will also contribute to the sustainable development and integration of the regions of Central and South Asia.