Pakistan, Uzbekistan aim to take trade to $2bn mark
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• Several MoUs signed as President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrives for two-day visit
• Cooperation to focus on agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, leather and footwear, tourism, and information technology
• Both sides pledge support for regional connectivity projects, including the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday signed a protocol aimed at materialising their commitment to boost bilateral trade to $2 billion, as Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Islamabad on a two-day official visit.
The protocol was signed following talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Mirziyoyev, marking a key step towards implementing an understanding reached in February last year to significantly scale up trade ties. An earlier agreement in 2023 had set a target of $1 billion in bilateral trade.
Trade between the two countries, however, currently stands at about $434m, according to official figures, despite steady growth in recent years.
Under the newly signed protocol, Islamabad and Tashkent will establish a joint working group tasked with formulating a detailed action plan to identify priority sectors and remove bottlenecks to trade and economic cooperation. The working group will prepare a five-year roadmap covering a wide range of economic activities.
Speaking at a joint press stakeout, PM Shehbaz said the signing of the protocol reflected both sides’ resolve to translate political goodwill into concrete economic outcomes.
“Today’s signing is a manifestation of our shared commitment to enhance and expand our economic relations,” PM Shehbaz said, adding that Pakistan and Uzbekistan would work closely to meet the $2bn trade target. He said cooperation would span sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, leather and footwear, tourism and information technology.
“Today’s signing of this protocol … is a great manifestation of our commitment to work together and enhance and expand our economic relations in the fields of agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, leather, footwear, tourism, IT and so on and so forth,” Uzbek president said.
PM Shehbaz also said the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was held during the visit, describing it as a structured mechanism that “heralds a very bright future” for bilateral ties.
He reiterated that both sides were aligned on regional connectivity initiatives, including the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project, which he called a potential “game changer” for the wider region.
President Mirziyoyev echoed the emphasis on economic cooperation, describing Pakistan as a reliable and close partner in South Asia. He welcomed the creation of the joint working group and said sustained engagement would be key to achieving the agreed trade targets.
During the visit, President Mirziyoyev also expressed interest in deepening defence and industrial cooperation. He toured Global Industrial and Defence Solutions (GIDS) facility in Rawalpindi, where he was received by Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir and briefed on Pakistan’s indigenous defence production, industrial capabilities and technological innovations.
Officials said the GIDS visit underscored the two countries’ shared interest in expanding collaboration in defence technology, knowledge exchange and potential joint ventures, as part of a broader effort to strengthen strategic ties.
The Uzbek president’s visit has also seen the signing of 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding across sectors ranging from trade and agriculture to defence cooperation and transport.
Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2026
