Pakistan, Uzbekistan strengthen economic and strategic partnership

More than 100 top investors attend business forum

Pakistan and Uzbekistan embarked on a new journey of prosperity, strengthening economic and strategic partnership, during Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s first official visit to the Central Asian state.

At the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum, jointly organised by the two countries in Tashkent, Imran Khan said that Pakistan government attaches significant importance to close ties and deeper engagement with Central Asia and particularly Uzbekistan, one of the biggest economies in the region.

Pakistan’s connectivity with

Uzbekistan is of vital importance, as improved trade would open up new avenues of regional prosperity and development, Khan said at the forum where he was joined by Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdullah Aripov.

In his speech on Thursday, the Uzbek prime minister highlighted strong ties between the two countries and multiple areas of cooperation and said that the Pakistani premier’s visit would usher in a new area of cooperation and joint ventures.

Direct access

New infrastructure projects such as the 573-km trans-Afghan railway project, connecting Termez-Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar will be crucial in improving regional trade and connectivity, offering the landlocked Central Asian region direct access to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan’s seaports, PM Khan said. However, he added that peace in Afghanistan was of pivotal importance in advancing the connectivity agenda.

More than 100 top Pakistani businessmen and investors representing major export sectors also attended the business forum.