ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed 28 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements to boost cooperation across multiple sectors as Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Islamabad for a two-day visit. Mirziyoyev, accompanied by a high-level delegation of officials and business leaders, received a red-carpet welcome at Nur Khan Airbase from President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and senior ministers.
A ceremony was held to exchange 20 of the signed MoUs, covering defense collaboration, climate change, disaster management, agriculture, mining, drug control, and export protocols. Prime Minister Sharif highlighted plans to strengthen agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, IT, and tourism, while emphasizing the strategic Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project as a regional “game-changer” providing Central Asian nations direct access to Pakistani seaports.
During his visit, Mirziyoyev received an honorary doctorate and professorship from Pakistan’s NUST University for his efforts to advance bilateral relations. He also toured the Global Industrial & Defense Solutions (GIDS) facility in Islamabad, observing Pakistan’s growing capabilities in indigenous defense production.
Pakistan and Uzbekistan have steadily deepened economic ties, with previous agreements including a Transit Trade Agreement and a Preferential Trade Agreement covering 17 items, operational since 2023, aimed at boosting regional connectivity and trade between South and Central Asia.
