Uzbekistan Airways will increase flights between Tashkent and Islamabad from two to three per week starting Oct. 26, expanding air connectivity between Uzbekistan and Pakistan and offering more travel options for tourists and business travelers.
The national airline of Uzbekistan currently operates the Tashkent–Islamabad–Tashkent route twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Under the revised schedule, flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The additional service is expected to provide greater flexibility for travelers and support tourism, trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries, according to information reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
More flight options for tourists and business travelers
The increased frequency is expected to make travel more convenient for tourists, business travelers and transit passengers while creating opportunities for closer bilateral cooperation.
The expanded service could also encourage more Pakistani visitors to explore Uzbekistan’s historical and cultural attractions, including pilgrimage destinations.
Uzbekistan’s historic cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, associated with the ancient Great Silk Road, are among the destinations that could benefit from improved air connectivity. Additional flights may also provide travelers with more opportunities to connect through Tashkent to other Central Asian destinations.
Pakistani tourist arrivals show growth potential
More than 20,000 Pakistani tourists visited Uzbekistan in 2025, while nearly 20,000 visited during the first nine months of 2026, according to the supplied report.
The figures point to continued travel between the two countries and potential for further tourism cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
Weekly flights between Pakistan and Uzbekistan to rise to nine
Eight scheduled flights currently operate between Uzbekistan and Pakistan each week, including four on the Tashkent–Lahore route and two on the Tashkent–Islamabad route, alongside services connecting Tashkent with Karachi.
With the additional Islamabad service, the total number of scheduled weekly flights between the two countries will rise to nine.
The expanded schedule is expected to facilitate two-way tourism and business travel while supporting broader trade, economic and cultural ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
Growing Pakistan–Uzbekistan trade ties
The increase in flights comes as Pakistan and Uzbekistan seek to expand their economic relationship. Bilateral trade turnover rose 12.2-fold between 2017 and 2025, reaching $445.9 million by the end of 2025.
Agricultural products, particularly dried legumes, nuts and peanuts, accounted for nearly 80% of Uzbekistan’s exports to Pakistan in 2025.
During Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Pakistan on Feb. 5-6 this year, the two countries set a target of increasing bilateral trade turnover to $2 billion in the near future. The visit also resulted in trade and investment agreements valued at $3.5 billion, covering industrial cooperation, logistics, agriculture and energy.
The additional weekly flight could support these ambitions by giving business travelers more scheduling flexibility and facilitating closer commercial contacts between the two countries.