According to sources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a joint communiqué on the outcomes of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Pakistan.
The communiqué, released on Friday, said that the President of Uzbekistan paid an official visit to Pakistan on February 5 and 6 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Mirziyoyev held comprehensive and detailed discussions covering all aspects of bilateral relations. The talks focused on reviewing the current state of relations and exploring ways to further strengthen the strategic partnership.
Both leaders noted the importance of economic ties in strengthening bilateral relations and acknowledged that Uzbekistan was the first Central Asian country with which Pakistan signed a Transit Trade Agreement and a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). They reaffirmed their commitment to continuing efforts to expand trade, economic relations, and industrial cooperation to fully realize the economic potential of both countries and improve the welfare of their peoples.
They welcomed the growing volume of bilateral trade and reiterated their resolve to achieve the trade target of 2 billion dollars by 2029. Both sides reaffirmed their strong commitment to further develop and strengthen cooperation in support of each other’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
The leaders discussed the current state of cooperation and future prospects across various sectors, as well as key regional and international issues of mutual interest, including regional peace and security, trade, culture, tourism, and people-to-people contacts. They expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation over the past 34 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, noting that these ties are rooted in long-standing friendship and deep historical, cultural, and spiritual links between the two nations.
Both leaders emphasized their determination to further deepen bilateral relations and elevate cooperation to a new level that advances the core interests of both countries. They expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations, particularly the growing high-level contacts. They recalled the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s visit to Uzbekistan in February 2025 and subsequent meetings in Azerbaijan, and reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the joint communiqué signed in February 2025.
The decision taken during the Prime Minister’s February 2025 visit to establish the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) was described as a major milestone, providing an oversight mechanism for bilateral cooperation. The leaders welcomed the inaugural meeting of the HLSCC held during President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Pakistan, during which all aspects of relations were reviewed and key decisions were taken.
They appreciated the production of the joint documentary “Mushtarik Dulha.” Both sides agreed to institutionalize cooperation in the tourism sector, launch direct flights from Tashkent to Islamabad and Lahore, and activate the working groups.
In the defense and security domain, both sides expressed satisfaction with mutual cooperation, joint military exercises, and training programs. They agreed to enhance cooperation against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, as well as against drug trafficking.
