PM Shehbaz, Uzbek President Sign Protocol to Increase Pakistan-Uzbekistan Trade to $2 Billion in 5 years

Pakistani Prime Minister, President Receive Uzbek President Mirziyoyev at Nur Khan Airbase

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed multiple accords and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on Thursday to ramp bilateral trade to $2 billion within the next five years , reflecting a shared resolve to elevate the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

This was one of the several agreements reached between the two sides on the first day of President Mirziyoyev’s two-day visit to Pakistan.

A ceremony was held at the Prime Minister's House where the wide-ranging pacts were formally signed in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Mirziyoyev.

Earlier upon his arrival at Nur Khan Airbase, the Uzbek President was received by PM Shehbaz and President Asif Ali Zardari.

A post on the President Secretariat’s X account said: “A warm welcome to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan! President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Shehbaz received the Uzbek president at Noor Khan Airbase today. This visit marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties and regional connectivity.”

It was announced at the ceremony, which was broadcast live on television, that 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU) had been signed between the two countries. Twenty documents pertaining to these deals were exchanged in the presence of PM Shehbaz and Uzbek President Mirziyoyev.

The agreements and memoranda signed between the two sides covered several areas, including an action plan for defence cooperation, ecology climate change and disaster risk reduction, disaster management, cooperation in agriculture, protocol on sanitary requirements for exports of fruits, cooperation in the area of mining and geosciences, transfer of sentenced persons and cooperartion on combatting drug trafficking.

At the ceremony, an honourary degree of Doctorate of Philosophy and honourary title of professor was conferred on the Uzbek president in recognition of his “exceptional contributions […] towards fostering strong bilateral ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and promoting peace and development in the region”.

Addressing the ceremony, PM Shehbaz expressed his delight that the Uzbek president and his delegation visited Islamabad, his “second home”, for the second time in four years.

“I would like to avail this opportunity, my dear brother, Mr President, to congratulate you for being awarded the degree of professor and doctor by NUST University Islamabad, for your meritorious services, your unwavering dedication and your commitment to serve not only our brothers and sisters in Uzbekistan, but also your great contribution in promoting peace, progress and prosperity in neighbouring countries,” the premier said.

The Uzbek president was awarded that honourary degree and title earlier at the ceremony. PM Shehbaz also congratulated Mirziyoyev on being awarded the Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civil honour, for his “services and contributions to converting friendly relations into economic cooperation, trade, and investment in various sectors”. “I think, President, if we had a bigger title and award, you’d have been the fittest participant for that award [as well],” PM Shehbaz remarked.

He further stated that “Pakistan and Uzbekistan have deep-rooted historical, spiritual and cultural relations, connected by the ancient Silk Route, spanning over centuries.”

In this connection, PM Shehbaz also mentioned the legacy of the Mughal empire and intellectuals from Samarkand and Bukhara.

“These historical facts provide a very sound foundation of our durable relations and a very bright future,” he emphasised, thanking Mirziyoyev for his “leadership, vision and commitment to take these relations to heights not known till this point in time” The premier also expressed his gratitude for the hospitality he received during a visit to Uzbekistan last February, but apologised if anything was lacking in the visiting leader’s reception. “Obviously, we could not surpass your warmth, but if we can match your warmth, we have earned our day,” PM Shehbaz stated.

He added that the inaugural meeting of a high-level strategic cooperation council took place earlier today, adding, “This structured mechanism heralds a very bright future for both our brotherly countries and people”.

“I want to assure you that I will work very closely with you for regional connectivity, as we both are in total agreement that the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan rail project will be a game changer, not only for our countries but for the entire region.

“And in that, we are ready to join hands and work together to raise funds for this project on the basis of our feasibility and business plan,” he said.

Addressing Mirziyoyev, PM Shehbaz said, “I know for a fact, without a ray of flattery at all, that you are a man of action. You speak less and you act more. “Today’s signing of this protocol … is a great manifestation of our commitment to work together, enhance and expand our economic relations in the fields of agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, leather, leather shoes, tourism, IT and so on and so forth,” he added.

He mentioned that Haroon Akhtar, Minister of State for Industries and Production, would represent Pakistan on the committee.

“This will be a game changer. This will really move towards a cooperation which the world will not have observed before,” the premier maintained.

Both leaders also agreed to quarterly review meetings to assess the performance and progress of this arrangement.

“Instead of having Zoom meetings, Mr President, let’s put protocols and formalities aside; I will, with my delegation, land in Tashkent, drive straight to your office, have a two-hour working session and return,” PM Shehbaz said, suggesting that for the meeting after, the Uzbek president and his delegation could come to Islamabad for the review meeting and leave the same day.

Taking the podium, Mirziyoyev declared that Pakistan was Uzbekistan’s “time-tested and reliable partner and closest friend” in south Asia. “I’d like to specifically outline that Pakistan, which is developing very rapidly, is achieving higher and higher results and showing that a modern Pakistan can achieve a high level of development,” the Uzbek president said.

He lauded large-scale reforms ensuring public welfare and accelerated economic growth are being implemented under PM Shehbaz’s leadership, adding that these achievements “make us very pleased and very happy to acknowledge, since we consider ourselves your closest friends and a brotherly nation”.

The visiting president expressed his sincere gratitude for “accepting us and welcoming us at such a high-level”, noting that a lot was achieved within a short day.

“Especially, I would like to, on the outset, mention that remarkable outcome of the day [is] that I became a professor and doctor at the same time,” he quipped, adding that he would remember today as “a historic day”. He hailed the honour as a great achievement and a responsibility.

“Today’s date, I can actually mark in my calendar. For my family, this is a remarkable historic day in which we received such a great honour in Pakistan, and I was also awarded the scientific level of professor and doctor,” the Uzbek president noted.

The Uzbek president stated that all main issues, ranging from security and defence to political and economic issues, were discussed with the Pakistani side “in a detailed manner”.

“As a result of the talks, we have decided we would sign a protocol that will serve as a basis for signing larger agreements on establishing joint councils and working groups and our means to work further on those issues,” Mirziyoyev said.