Tazeen Akhtar
Uzbekistan Pakistan trade and economic cooperation has shown upward trajectory to next level in last three years. Bilateral ties are flourishing rapidly and the bilateral trade is more than double that clearly indicates a huge potential to be explored and taped. Both brotherly countries are working hard to take the cordial and close political relations into new phase of meaningful partnership. Certainly, we were connected to each other for centuries in the history. We had strong religious, cultural, lingual, territorial bonds that were disconnected due to change in the geographical dynamics for the time being but our hearts remained united. This unity is being restored now in the shape of contacts not only on G-to-G but B-to-B and P-to-P level as well.
Facts and Figures of the first 5 months (January-May) of the last year and current year speak that the bilateral trade has increased from $87 Million last year to $150 Million this year. Presently the overall trade volume in $250 Million that will be enhanced further in the coming months. The Ambassador Mr. Oybek Arif Usmanov is confident that the volume may further be increased up to $400 Million.
The trends of strengthen cooperation in diversified fields indicate that the target is quite possible as Preferential Trade Agreement has been already enforced in March 2023. PTA facilitates the business community of both countries to trade with each other at lower or no tariff.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visited Samarkand on 15-16 September 2022 to attend the annual Meeting of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Former Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Tashkent to attend Central Asia South Asia Connectivity Conference in 2021. Same year, Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held the first ever Summit Online Meeting in which the whole gambit of bilateral cooperation was discussed. 
Prime Minister Imran Khan and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met on the sidelines of Heads of Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 16 Sep 2021. The high level talks covered bilateral cooperation, with a special focus on trade and economic relations, and regional connectivity.Prime Minister Imran Khan underscored the significance of enhancing structured political ties, fast-tracking trade and economic cooperation by operationalizing Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (UPTTA), enhancing defence and security cooperation, and further increasing collaboration in the fields of education, culture and tourism. The Prime Minister underlined the importance of early finalization of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Pakistan in March 2022. Prime Minister Imran Khan shared in the joint press conference that bilateral trade had increased by 50% within a year. PM Imran said that Tashkent and Islamabad are jointly developing a film on Mughal emperor Zaheeruddin Babar.
On his one-on-one meeting with the Uzbek leader, the PM said that both the countries are looking to expand ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan via Afghanistan. On the other hand, the Uzbek president thanked the Pakistani leadership and people for their hospitality.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met on the sidelines of Heads of Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Samarkand.The two leaders exchanged views on Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations, and regional and international issues. The wide-ranging talks covered bilateral cooperation, with a special focus on trade and economic relations, and regional connectivity through rail, road and seaports.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underscored the significance of enhancing political ties, fast-tracking trade and economic cooperation by fully operationalizing Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (UPTTA) and Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
The Prime Minister underlined the need for closer defense and security cooperation, and further increasing collaboration in the fields of education, culture and tourism. He emphasized that liberalized Visa Regime would encourage business community of both countries to boost bilateral trade and investment.The two leaders agreed to early convening of the Inter-Governmental Commission to formulate specific proposals and projects to further deepen and broaden Pakistan-Uzbekistan cooperation across the entire spectrum.
This will remain a distinct history of bilateral relations that two Prime Ministers of Pakistan were in Uzbekistan within a short span of time while President of Uzbekistan visited Pakistan. Further, both Prime Ministers are from arch rival political parties. This indicates that the relations of Uzbekistan government and working of the embassy staff especially the Ambassador is highly professional and across the board. It mentions that Uzbekistan is friend of all political stake holders in Pakistan.
Another remarkable achievement in last two years is direct road connectivity between two states. National Logistic Cell’s trucks traveled to Uzbekistan from 3 main industrial cities of Pakistan while Uzbekistani trade trucks reached Torkham Pakistan through Afghanistan. It was a historic milestone in the regional integration. May 4, 2021 was the memorable day when a Pakistani truck transported medicine from Karachi to Uzbek capital Tashkent. It started its journey on April 9. Reciprocally Uzbek cargo truck took a shipment of leather products from Tashkent on May 9 and arrived at the Afghan-Pakistani border (Torkham crossing) on May 11. A senior level delegation from Uzbekistan was present at Torkham to receive the truck.
Former ambassador Furqat Siddiq who was later promoted to First Deputy Foreign Minister headed the delegation at Torkham border. It was a pilot project but its success has opened the new vistas for both countries to contact directly and complement the requirements of each other. Both partners have plans to increase the number of trade trucks up to 50 that will give further boost to bilateral trade.
Ambassador Oybek Arif Usmanov has served his country in Pakistan previously as well. He knows Pakistani languages especially Pushtau that increases his abilities to convey the keenness of Uzbekistan for advanced joint working with Pakistan in all possible spheres. For the same reason , Pakistani officials and influences fine it easy to communicate with him. He has good communication skills and cordial relations with government , business and media circles of Pakistan that helped a lot in maturing the dreams of connectivity into reality.
Trilateral Train Agreement called Trans Afghan Railway is the flagship project in terms of direct connectivity between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. All three countries signed agreement in this regard in Feb 2021. Presently , Uzbekistan is operating train route from border city of Tirmiz to Afghan northern city of Mazar e Sharif. The accomplishment of the Trans Afghan project will connect Tirmiz from Mazar e Sharif to Kabul and finally to Peshawer city of Pakistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz in his meeting with President Shavkat reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the timely completion of Trans-Afghan Railway
e Prime Minister Shehbaz in his meeting with President Shavkat reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the timely completion of Trans-Afghan Railway project and expressed satisfaction at the successful completion of field expedition inside Afghanistan by the technical teams from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Once completed, this project would effectively link the Central Asian countries with the world through the seaports of Karachi and Gwadar.
The road and rail connectivity will not only provide land connectivity but will give access to Uzbekistan to the main marine trade routes via Karachi port. This route is the shortest for Uzbekistan to reach the Pakistani ports of Karachi and Gawader. Iran is another option but it is long and difficult in comparison to Pakistan.
Air connectivity is the most fast and easy way to reach out and work together. Uzbekistan Airline started direct flights to Pakistan enabling the B-toB and P-toP contacts including the promotion of Ziyorat Tourism. Later the flights were suspended due to COVID restrictions. Both countries are now working upon the restoration of direct flights as the number of visitors from both sides are increasing with the passage of time.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar visited Tashkent in Feb 2023. He attended the meeting of the 8th Joint Ministerial Commission of Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The Commission reviewed investment, increasing cooperation in the fields of railways and matters of mutual interest.
He called on President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Matters pertaining to further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation and practical aspects of the implementation of projects in trade, investment and transport sectors were discussed. At the meeting, special attention was paid to the implementation of important agreements signed on transit and preferred trade. In addition, within the framework of the agenda of intergovernmental negotiations, the importance of promoting specific cooperation projects in various sectors of the economy was noted.
Both countries are building close cooperation on security, defense and defense production sectors as well. The armed forces of both states share experiences and exchange delegations on regular basis. National day of Uzbekistan has been celebrated at General Head Quarters GHQ of Pakistan many times. Pakistan offers training facilities to Uzbek cadets in its military institutes.
Defense Minister Pakistan Khawaja Asif attended SCO Defense Ministers Conference in Tashkent on 24 Aug 2022. He led a delegation consisting of representatives of defense officials from all three wings of Pakistani armed forces.
He held meeting with his counterpart Bakhodir Qurbanov at delegation level in which both sides expressed satisfaction on the present level of bilateral cooperation and discussed venues of strengthening the interactions among the armed forces and defense officials on regular basis.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected in Tashkent in coming months again. There another summit meeting will further cement the ties and pave the way towards more trade and economic agreements.
There are many other notable developments in the improvement of political and economic relations between both countries during last two three years. A number of high level visits including the federal ministers, business leaders, media persons and others are now a routine matter that indicates the depth of the relations between two nations.Both countries are gateways for each other. Pakistan to the seaports and Uzbekistan to all Central Asia and Eurasia. The spirit and the enthusiasm on both sides is an asset for both nations. This spirit is expected to be save and strengthened and encouraged on both sides for the well being of the people of both countries.
