FM Qureshi meets Uzbek counterpart, discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday, in a joint statement with his Uzbek counterpart, stated that Pakistan and Uzbekistan share a "common view" for a political settlement in Afghanistan and added that there was no military solution to the Afghan conflict, Radio Pakistan reported.

In a joint press conference in Islamabad, FM Qureshi and Abdulaziz Kamilov "expressed the resolve to further enhance bilateral cooperation to promote peace and stability in the region".

FM Qureshi said: "Pakistan is ready to promote connectivity in the region for the benefit of our people".

He added that there were many opportunities for the two countries to increase "bilateral cooperation" in trade, tourism and security.

According to Radio Pakistan, Uzbekistan's FM reiterated that the two countries share a "common approach" for the peace process in Afghanistan as well as in combating terrorism.

He acknowledged the "vital role" Pakistan has played in the fight against terrorism and stability in the region, the report stated.

Kamilov said that the two had discussed strengthening "bilateral cooperation in the fields of transport, road communication, trade, economy and security".

The Uzbek FM invited his Pakistani counterpart to visit Uzbekistan and thanked him for the hospitality his delegation had received in Islamabad.

According to Radio Pakistan, Kamilov will also call on Prime Minister Imran Khan.

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Mohan

Nov 01, 2018 03:51pm

Why didn't he bring up the Kashmir "issue"?

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omveer

Nov 01, 2018 04:02pm

Was loan discussed?

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Jamaluddin

Nov 01, 2018 04:29pm

Pakistan and uzbekistan have a common approach towards the stability of afghanistan. The peace is the gaurantee of the prosperity of the region. The jzbik fm applaused the hospitality of pakistan and invited his cointerpart querashi to visit his country.

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M. Saeed

Nov 01, 2018 07:21pm

But, I thought there was a restriction imposed by the PM on no foreign tours by the ministers for at least 3 months?

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amir_indian

Nov 03, 2018 12:19pm

India and Uzbekistan have decided to start work on a preferential trade agreement (PTA), enhance efforts for a four-fold increase in bilateral trade to $1 billion over the next two years and promote investment flows and joint business activities. Visiting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his team of senior Ministers and officials signed 17 MoUs and agreements with India in areas such as health, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, law and justice and defence cooperation.

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amir_indian

Nov 03, 2018 12:20pm

The countries also agreed to work towards balancing the trade between the two sides by reducing the trade deficit and enhance efforts to achieve the bilateral trade target of $1 billion by 2020. India’s exports to Uzbekistan in 2017-18 were valued at $132.72 million while it imported goods worth $101.67 million.

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amir_indian

Nov 03, 2018 12:34pm

Furthermore, the Cabinet approved an MoU between the two countries for the establishment of an Uzbek-Indian Free Pharmaceutical Zone in the Andijan Region of Uzbekistan, which will also be signed during Mirziyoyev's visit to India. The MoU will create an enabling framework of cooperation for setting up an Uzbek-Indian Free Pharmaceuticals Zone in Andijan region of Uzbekistan. It will also facilitate Indian pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies to invest and establish production facilities in the Uzbek-Indian Free Pharma Zone of Andijan for manufacture of pharmaceutical products.

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amir_indian

Nov 03, 2018 12:35pm

India and Central Asia’s biggest military power Uzbekistan signed a slew of 17 pacts across all possible sectors including defence training besides agreeing for joint partnership in defence industry as Delhi looks to fully realise its strategic partnerships in the region where China has made inroads taking advantage of its geographical contiguity.

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