President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Visit to Pakistan to Boost Trade, Connectivity, Regional Integration

ISLAMABAD (WNAM): Speakers at a roundtable discussion on Monday said that the upcoming visit of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to Pakistan would prove to be a milestone in strengthening bilateral economic, trade and diplomatic relations, while giving fresh momentum to regional economic integration.
The views were expressed at a roundtable titled “Significance of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s Address to the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan,” organized by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Islamabad. Participants noted that Pakistan and Uzbekistan, as emerging economies of the region, possess immense untapped potential for cooperation, which the Uzbek President’s visit is expected to unlock.
Speaking on the occasion, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Bakhromjon Aloev, said that President Mirziyoyev’s forthcoming visit to Islamabad would mark a significant step forward in Uzbek-Pakistani relations. He said both sides were preparing new initiatives spanning trade, transport, energy and digital technologies, aimed at deepening long-term economic partnership.
He informed that important agreements were expected to be signed during the visit to raise bilateral trade volume to $2 billion, adding that although the current trade volume remained below its true potential, it had witnessed steady growth over the past few years.
The Deputy Foreign Minister highlighted President Mirziyoyev’s long-term vision for promoting regional economic integration, saying that enhanced connectivity among regional states was key to shared prosperity. He also noted a surge in tourism from Pakistan to Uzbekistan, stating that nearly 25,000 Pakistani tourists were expected to visit Uzbekistan this year.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, said that the Uzbek President’s visit would act as a catalyst for strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations while contributing to broader regional integration. He said the launch of direct flights between Pakistan and Uzbekistan was a significant initiative by the Uzbek government to promote people-to-people contacts and enhance regional connectivity.
Director South Asia and International Studies Analysis Centre, Lt Gen (R) Syed Khalid Amir Jafri, stressed that enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan at both economic and security levels was essential and should be further expanded. He said both countries had developed modern security institutions, and ongoing reforms would further strengthen them, emphasizing that regional peace was vital for sustainable economic development.
Director of the Common Future Society Think Tank, Khalid Taimur Akram, said that President Mirziyoyev’s visit would focus on infrastructure development and regional connectivity, adding that agreements across multiple sectors were expected to be signed, paving the way for long-term regional cooperation.