PM Shehbaz Sharif Meets Uzbek President on Sidelines of SCO Summit in Bishkek

BISHKEK, August 31: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting in Bishkek.

The Prime Minister conveyed warm felicitations to President Mirziyoyev and the brotherly people of Uzbekistan on the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence. Recalling President Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Pakistan in February 2026, he said the visit and the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council had given fresh momentum to the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed the need for timely implementation of decisions taken at the leadership level, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation. He reiterated the shared objective of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029 and called for effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement, enhanced business-to-business engagement and mutually beneficial joint ventures.

The Prime Minister highlighted regional connectivity as a shared strategic priority, emphasizing the transformative potential of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway in connecting Central and South Asia and facilitating Uzbekistan’s access to Pakistan’s seaports. He stressed the need for early progress on the Joint Feasibility Study and greater utilization of existing multimodal transport corridors.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate Uzbek trade through its ports and transport infrastructure and supported enhanced air connectivity, including progress towards direct Tashkent-Karachi flights.

The two leaders discussed further strengthening cooperation in industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technologies, education, culture, defence and security.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s forthcoming Chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State and expressed Pakistan’s desire to work closely with Uzbekistan on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development.

He also emphasized continued cooperation within the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and other multilateral forums, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its Strategic Partnership with Uzbekistan and translating the strong political relationship into tangible economic benefits for the peoples of both countries.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar.