Prime Minister Imran Khan called for strengthening economic ties with Uzbekistan during a two-day official visit to the country.
Pakistan’s connectivity with Uzbekistan in trade and bilateral spheres would open up new avenues of prosperity in the region, he said. “Pakistan has immense potential to connect Central Asia with the rest of the world and become a hub of trade,” the prime minister said in his address at the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum in Tashkent.
The Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, also participated in the inauguration of the business forum was organized by Pakistan in coordination with Uzbek authorities in Tashkent with a view to boosting bilateral trade and economic relations.
More than 100 top Pakistani businessmen and investors representing major export sectors and logistic services and Uzbek businessmen from corresponding sectors attended the summit. The forum envisions enhancing and diversifying the volume of trade between the two sides, exchanges of business delegations, identifying new avenues of trade and investment, and involving the private sector in business ventures.
“I want to assure the business community of Uzbekistan that this relationship is just the beginning of the journey of development and prosperity,” he said.
PM underlined the importance attached by Pakistan to deeper engagement with Central Asia and with Uzbekistan particularly and stressed that both countries must comprehensively upgrade trade and economic ties as there is immense opportunity to forge a stronger partnership with Uzbek counterparts.
PM Khan emphasised, in particular, the importance of promoting connectivity and highlighted in this regard Pakistan’s readiness to provide access through Pakistani seaports. The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of Teens-Afghan railway project, connecting Termez-Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar. The Prime Minister underscored that peace in Afghanistan was of pivotal importance in advancing the connectivity agenda.
“Pakistan is keen for peace in Afghanistan and considers it vital for trade connectivity among the regional countries,” he said, adding that such trade linkages helped in raising the living standards of the citizens.
The forum was attended by a large number of businessmen from Pakistan and Uzbekistan. The high-level delegation included Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Minister for Information Technology Atif Khan.