Report : Tazeen Akhtar | Camera : Raja Ghulam Farid
National Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan has said Pakistanis have good option for tourism in Uzbekistan and Central Asia where they can get easy visa and it is affordable. Moreover direct flights are available. European countries do not issue visas and it is very hard to visit EU countries for tourism purpose. Direct flights to Uzbekistan are blessing for Pakistanis and they can benefit from the tourism opportunities available there.
He was addressing the guests at Tourism Road Show “Uzbekistan: Where History Meets the Future” and the Uzbekistan Tourism Excellence Awards 2026 in Islamabad on 31 Aug 2026 hosted by the Embassy of Uzbekistan.
It was 20th consecutive event in tourism promotion connection by the embassy in Pakistan.
Uzbekistan Air is operating 6 direct flights between Tashkent and Lahore Karach with 02 more between Tashkent Islamabad while Centrum Air is starting first flight between Tashkent Karachi today 02 Sep 2026. The air fare and the time of flight both are less or equal to the travel between Islamabad and Karachi.
Ambassador H.E Alisher Tukhtaev, Managing Director of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation,Aftab Ur Rehman Rana, Country Director Uzbekistan Airlines Mr. Munir and Head of Agents Department at Centrum Airlines Mr. Adil Mirza, tourism ambassador Hamid Mehboob were also present at the occasion.
A large number of travel and tour operators were invited to the road show to appreciate their efforts in enhancing tourism between the two countries. Ambassador with chief guest presented awards and certificates to the operators. It was special highlight of the evening as the first-ever “Uzbekistan Tourism Awards 2026,” an initiative launched by the Embassy. Ten of Pakistan’s most active tourism companies were honoured for their valuable contribution to increasing the flow of Pakistani travellers to Uzbekistan.
Senior representatives of provincial tourism departments, and more than 150 representatives of tour operators, airlines, the hospitality industry, business community and leading media outlets participated in the event.
Heart catching performance of cultural delegation from Uzbekistan was also an attraction in the road show.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan in his keynote address shed light on the tourism potential both countries carry and pledged to extend his all out cooperation in increasing the tourism on both sides.
He shared interesting experience of working with a vloger from Turkiye who has millions followers, on promotion of tourism in Pakistan. The comments on his video were amazing. His followers were astonished to see the tourism attractions in Pakistan. Many of them asked ” This is really Pakistan.” They asked this because they did not know how beautiful and peaceful is Pakistan.
Yasir also noted that a research was shared on social media in which Islamabad was declared more peaceful and safe than many European capitals.
” Yes ! there are some shortcomings but where they are not? We are relatively young country. We are learning and improving ourselves. It is just a matter of time only that soon we will be offering the same facilities that are available in Turkiye or China that are our models, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan concluded.
Ambassador H.E Alisher Tukhtaev, in his welcome address detailed on the tourism attractions and facilities with state of the art infrastructure available in his country in all major cities. He said, direct regular flights connecting Tashkent with Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi are bringing our countries and peoples closer than ever before.
He said, tourism ties between Uzbekistan and Pakistan are entering an entirely new chapter. Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Termez and Kokand, the Center of Islamic Civilization, the newly renovated Imam Bukhari Complex, pilgrimage tourism, our unique cuisine and rich cultural heritage are opening up a whole new world for Pakistani travellers.
“Modern Uzbekistan is about much more than its glorious history. Today, our country is emerging as a dynamic destination for MICE tourism, with world-class capabilities to host international forums, conferences and major corporate events. We invited the Pakistani business community to hold their corporate events in Tashkent and Samarkand and combine them with unforgettable journeys to Bukhara and Khiva, Ambassador continued.
H.E Tukhtaev added, our goal is for Uzbekistan to become, for millions of Pakistanis, not simply a country they have heard about, but a destination they dream of visiting at least once in their lifetime — and one they will want to return to again and again.
MD PTDC Aftab ur Rehman Rana, Mirza Adil of Centrum Air and Himd Mehboob also shared their views on the potential of toursim between two brotherly countries.
