Report : Tazeen Akhtar | Camera : Raja Ghulam Farid
Pakistan government and people have felicitated the Republic of Uzbekistan on their Independe Day and expressed best wishes for the development and prosperity of brotherly nation. Mr. and Mrs. Alisher Tukhtaev, Ambassador of Uzbekistan hosted a magnificent reception to celebrate the auspisious day with Pakistan friends on 01 Sep 2026 at Hotel Move n Pick in Islamabad.
Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari was chief guest at the occasion while many other gov representatives also graced the event with their presence. Among them were Governor of Khyber Pakhtonkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi, State Minister of Commerce Rana Ehsan Afzal, National Coordinator to the Prime Minister Pakistan on Tourism Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Additional Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, Spokesman of the President of Pakistan Murtaza Saulngi, the Honorary Consul Lahore Mr. Najeeb Mushtaq and many parliamentarians, civil and military officers.
Ambassadors of Central Asian , CIS countries, Russia, Middle East, ASEAN, Africa and many other states also participated in the celebration.
Pakistan Army sent its military band to express solidarity with Uzbekistan. The band played national anthems of both countries to kickstart the celebration. Uzbek cultural delegation presented traditional music and dance to the amusement of the guests who show keen interest in Uzbek songs and performans.
Minister Power Awais Laghari, in his keynote address covered various aspects of bilateral cooperation and said Pakistan and Uzbekistan had vast potential to further expand cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in electricity connectivity, renewable energy, hydropower, energy infrastructure and investment.
Addressing a reception marking the 35th Independence Day of Uzbekistan, the minister said stronger energy cooperation could become an important component of the two countries’ broader economic partnership and regional integration.
Leghari warmly felicitated Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the government and people of Uzbekistan on the occasion and expressed Pakistan’s best wishes for the country’s continued peace, stability, prosperity and progress.
He said Pakistan deeply admired the achievements of the Uzbek people and valued the historic bonds between the two countries, rooted in shared Islamic culture and civilization.
Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Uzbekistan’s independence, while the two countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1992, he added.
The minister noted that Pakistan and Uzbekistan would also mark the 35th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in May 2027.
He said bilateral relations had evolved into a strong partnership based on mutual respect, shared historical and cultural values and common interests, with cooperation expanding across trade, investment, energy, connectivity, education, science and technology and culture.
Leghari said the relationship had gained fresh momentum in recent years following the visits of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to Uzbekistan in February 2025 and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Pakistan in February 2026.
He said the signing of various agreements and memoranda of understanding in areas including trade, mining, information technology, education, agriculture, maritime affairs and defence reflected the growing depth and diversity of bilateral cooperation.
Highlighting the potential of the economic partnership, the minister said Pakistan and Uzbekistan had set an ambitious target for increasing bilateral trade.
He stressed the need to facilitate greater interaction between the business communities of the two countries and encourage investment and joint ventures to achieve the target.
“As Federal Minister for Energy, I particularly see significant scope for expanding cooperation in the energy sector,” Leghari said.
He said the two countries could enhance collaboration in energy infrastructure, electricity connectivity, renewable energy, hydropower and investment, besides sharing expertise and experiences in developing resilient and sustainable energy systems.
The minister said connectivity was equally central to the shared vision of Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
He said Pakistan provided Uzbekistan with a gateway to the Arabian Sea and international markets, while Uzbekistan offered Pakistan access to the growing markets of Central Asia.
Leghari said the two countries were also working closely through the United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), reflecting their shared commitment to peace, stability, dialogue and regional economic cooperation.
He appreciated Uzbekistan’s constructive role in promoting regional connectivity and prosperity.
The minister expressed confidence that Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations would continue to grow from strength to strength, saying their shared history provided a strong foundation, while common interests and expanding economic and connectivity links offered new opportunities for a stronger partnership.
He called for joint efforts to translate the existing potential into greater trade, investment, energy cooperation, connectivity and prosperity for the peoples of both countries.
On the occasion, Leghari reiterated his heartfelt congratulations to President Mirziyoyev, the government and people of Uzbekistan on the 35th anniversary of independence.
He expressed the hope that Uzbekistan would continue to progress and prosper and that its people would enjoy peace, stability, happiness and success.
“May the Pakistan-Uzbekistan friendship and our enduring brotherly ties continue to flourish for generations to come,” he said.
Earlier, Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev delivered his welcome speech. Ambassador shed light on the history of Uzbekistan and the independence day.
H.E Tukhtaev shared , in 1991, thanks to the strong will and determination of our people, Uzbekistan became an independent state.But the roots of our statehood go much deeper into history. Uzbekistan is the home of an ancient civilization with a history of more than three thousand years. Our land gave the world such great scholars and thinkers as Muhammad al-Khwarizmi, Ahmad al-Fergani, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Abu Ali ibn Sina, Mirzo Ulugbek and Alisher Navoi.
The great Amir Temur created a powerful state that holds a special place in world history as a symbol of justice, knowledge and development. We are proud that this great history and rich heritage belong not only to Uzbekistan, but are also an important part of the common heritage of the entire Muslim world.
Ambassador said, Uzbekistan is building on this great history while moving with confidence towards a modern, open and successful future. Over the past decade, under the leadership of His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, our country has gone through major and lasting changes.
“The main idea behind all our reforms is very simple: The interests, dignity and well-being of every person must always be at the centre of state policy. Uzbekistan has opened its doors widely to the world. We have strengthened friendship and good relations with our neighbours, solved many long-standing regional issues, and helped create a new spirit of trust and cooperation in Central Asia, Ambassador continued.
On bilateral relations, Ambassador spoke very highly about bright future of Uzb Pak cooperation.
H.E Tukhtaev said , relations between Uzbekistan and Pakistan are going through one of the most active and successful periods in their history. Our countries are connected by centuries of common history, culture, faith and traditions.
Today, this common heritage is becoming a strong and modern strategic partnership based on trust and common interests.The official visit of the Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan, H.E Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, to Uzbekistan, followed by the State Visit of the President of Uzbekistan, H.E Shavkat Mirziyoyev , to Pakistan in February this year, opened a new chapter in our relations, Ambassador noted.
H.E said, the creation of the High-Level Council of Strategic Partnership has given us a strong foundation to bring our cooperation to a new level. During President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s State Visit to Pakistan, 30 bilateral documents were signed in many important areas.
