Pakistan, Uzbekistan Reaffirm $2 Billion Trade Target, Push for Regional Railway Connectivity
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reaffirmed their goal of raising bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029.
- The two leaders discussed faster implementation of agreements covering trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation.
- Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway as a major project for connecting Central and South Asia.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have reaffirmed their target of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029 as the two countries seek stronger economic ties and improved connectivity between Central and South Asia.
The two leaders met in Bishkek on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting, where they reviewed Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations and discussed further cooperation in trade, investment, transport and several other sectors.
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Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ataullah Tarar were also present during the meeting.
Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated President Mirziyoyev and the people of Uzbekistan on the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence.
Recalling President Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Pakistan in February 2026, the prime minister said the visit and the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council had provided fresh momentum to the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership.
Shehbaz Sharif stressed the need for timely implementation of decisions already taken by the leadership of the two countries, particularly those concerning trade, investment, connectivity and broader economic cooperation.
The prime minister reiterated the shared target of taking bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029. He called for effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement, increased business-to-business interaction and the development of mutually beneficial joint ventures.
Regional connectivity was another major focus of the meeting, with Shehbaz Sharif highlighting the potential of the proposed Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway.
He said the railway could help transform connectivity between Central and South Asia while providing landlocked Uzbekistan with greater access to Pakistan’s seaports.
The prime minister called for early progress on the Joint Feasibility Study for the railway project and greater use of existing multimodal transport corridors. He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness to facilitate Uzbek trade through the country’s ports and transport infrastructure.
Both sides discussed expanding cooperation beyond trade and transportation, including in industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technologies, education and culture.
Defence and security cooperation also formed part of the discussions as the two countries explored ways to broaden their strategic partnership across multiple areas.
Improving air connectivity was also discussed, with the prime minister supporting greater flight links between the two countries, including progress towards launching direct Tashkent-Karachi flights.
Shehbaz Sharif appreciated Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s forthcoming chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State and expressed Islamabad’s desire to work closely with Tashkent on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development.
The prime minister also emphasised continued Pakistan-Uzbekistan cooperation within the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) and other multilateral forums.
