building No. 80-82, Abdulla Avloniy Street, Yakkasaroy Tumani, Tashkent, Uzbekistaan
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the Republic of Uzbekistan and the International Institute for Central Asia (IICA) hosted a high-level roundtable discussion titled “Uzbekistan–Pakistan: Bridging Regions and Creating New Opportunities” today at the International Institute for Central Asia in Tashkent.
The roundtable was well attended by ambassadors, senior government officials, leading scholars, policy experts, representatives of think tanks, research institutions, and business communities from both Pakistan and Uzbekistan, reflecting strong interest in further deepening bilateral cooperation and regional connectivity.
The event commenced with opening and welcome remarks by Mr. Javlon Vakhabov, Director of the International Institute for Central Asia and Deputy Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on Foreign Policy, and Ambassador Ahmed Farooq, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Uzbekistan. Both speakers underscored the importance of sustained political dialogue, expanding economic cooperation, and strengthening people-to-people ties in advancing the strategic partnership between the two countries.
In his address, Ambassador Ahmed Farooq highlighted that Pakistan and Uzbekistan are natural partners bound by centuries-old historical, cultural, religious, and intellectual linkages, recalling the shared heritage of great luminaries such as Imam Bukhari, Imam Tirmizi, Al-Biruni etc,. He emphasized that connectivity remains the cornerstone of bilateral relations, noting that Pakistan offers Uzbekistan the shortest and most economical access to the sea, while Uzbekistan provides Pakistan a gateway to Central Asia. The Ambassador underlined that important initiatives such as the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan Railway Project hold transformative potential to enhance regional connectivity and unlock new economic opportunities for Central and South Asia.
Participants noted with satisfaction that bilateral trade has witnessed strong growth, reaching USD 450 million by the end of 2025, and reaffirmed the shared objective of increasing trade volume to USD 2 billion through measures including the expansion of the Preferential Trade Agreement, trade facilitation, and improved transport and logistics connectivity.
The roundtable featured three thematic sessions that enabled in-depth and forward-looking exchanges. The first session focused on the evolution of Uzbekistan–Pakistan relations and their transition toward a new quality of strategic partnership, examining high-level political dialogue, institutional mechanisms of cooperation, and strategic coordination in regional and international contexts.
The second session explored prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of economy, transport, education, science, culture, and tourism, with participants highlighting opportunities to expand trade and investment, develop transport and logistics corridors, strengthen educational and scientific collaboration, and promote cultural and tourism exchanges as key drivers of long-term partnership.
The third session addressed the strengthening of interregional connectivity between Central and South Asia, emphasizing the strategic role of Uzbekistan and Pakistan as key regional hubs and discussing initiatives aimed at enhancing transit routes, infrastructure connectivity, and regional economic integration in support of sustainable growth and regional stability.
The discussions at the roundtable focused on adopting youth-oriented and future-focused solutions. Participants emphasized the need to further enhance bilateral trade by addressing existing barriers, improving facilitation mechanisms, and unlocking new areas of cooperation. The roundtable also produced practical and sound recommendations aimed at strengthening economic, connectivity, and people-to-people linkages.