34th Anniversary of Independence of Republic of Uzbekistan celebrated in Islamabad
Tazeen Akhtar with Camera Raja Ghulam Farid & Sultan Bashir
Ambassador H.E Alisher Tukhtaev, in his welcome address shed light on the importance of the day. He said , For every Uzbek, this day is not just a holiday. It is the heartbeat of our nation. It is the day when the dream of millions of families – to live under their own flag, in a free country – became a reality.
“Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has entered a new era – the era of the New Uzbekistan. We proudly say that we are reviving the traditions of the First and Second Renaissances, and we are confidently moving toward the Third Renaissance – a bridge between our famous past and a bright future of revival and progress, Ambassador noted.
Ambassador shared the details of growth in the economy of his country despite global challenges. He said, Uzbekistan’s economy is growing by more than 6 percent every year. In just eight years, our GDP has doubled – reaching 115 billion US dollars last year, and is expected to exceed 130 billion this year. Exports have grown to 26 billion dollars, while our gold and foreign exchange reserves have, for the first time, surpassed 48 billion dollars.
” Over the past years, Uzbekistan has attracted about 130 billion dollars in foreign investment. And this year alone, 35 billion dollars of investments are creating almost 9,000 new enterprises and service complexes, Ambassador continued.
On the eve of Independence Day, 79 major projects worth 4 billion dollars were launched – a true gift to our people for the holiday.
The number of small and medium-sized businesses has doubled, and today they employ more than 10 million people. At the beginning of this year, we set the ambitious goal of creating 5.5 million new jobs. In just eight months, 5 million people have already been employed. Most touching of all – 700,000 of our compatriots who had been working abroad returned home, believing in the future of their country.
Uzbekistan is opening wider to the world. Last year, more than 10 million tourists visited our country, bringing more than 3 billion dollars in revenue. By 2030, we aim to attract an additional 35 billion dollars of investment and increase the share of renewable “green” energy to 54 percent.
Today, Uzbekistan is no longer just an exporter of raw materials. Our industrial output has grown from 29 billion dollars in 2017 to 70 billion dollars today. Modern technologies and new knowledge are transforming every sector, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs and building a strong workforce for the future.
For the first time in history, the national football team of Uzbekistan has qualified for the World Cup! This historic success united millions of hearts, showing that the spirit of Uzbekistan can reach the highest peaks – in sports, in science, in culture, and in every area of life.
On bilateral relations, the Ambassador said, Uzbekistan and Pakistan are connected not only by economic interests. We are bound by centuries of shared history, culture, and spirituality. Today, these ties are gaining new strength, turning into a true strategic partnership built on trust, respect, and brotherhood.
In February this year, the official visit of Honorable Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to Uzbekistan was a milestone. Our leaders signed the Joint Declaration and the Protocol on establishing the High Council of Strategic Partnership. This historic step laid the foundation for long-term and multi-dimensional cooperation.
Today, we are working together on projects of historic importance – above all, the Trans-Afghan Railway, which will connect not only Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, but CIS countries with South Asia, opening huge opportunities for regional trade and integration.
Our trade is also growing rapidly. In 2024, turnover exceeded 404.5 million US dollars.
In just the first seven months of this year, it reached 320 million dollars – an increase of 126 percent compared to last year. Uzbekistan has become Pakistan’s largest trading partner in Central Asia. Our leaders have set a goal to bring this figure to 2 billion dollars, and steps such as exhibitions, trade houses, new air routes, and cultural exchanges are already bringing us closer to this target.
“Equally important are our humanitarian ties. Uzbekistan has simplified the visa regime for Pakistani brothers, sisters, and opened direct flights between Tashkent and Lahore, as well as Tashkent and Islamabad. Business forums, roadshows, and cultural events held this year in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and many another cities of Pakistan attracted great interest and strengthened people-to-people connections, Ambassador concluded.
H.E Alisher Tukhtaev astonished the guest with addressing them in Urdu. One part of his speech was in Urdu and he spoke very well and understandable for Pakistani guests who heard the speech with keen interest.
A group of artists performed the cultural show for the guests. The performance was highly appreciated by the audiance. The food served also included Uzbek Pilao that was another attraction for the food lovers. Overall it was a memorable event.
