The President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has arrived in Pakistan with hug delegates. It hopes that this visit will be paradigm shift in the diplomatic ties and bilateral relations of both the countries.
Uzbekistan-Pakistan bilateral relations has been further strengthened during the last two years because of the better political understanding, improvement in bilateral trade, phenomenal rise to tourism and the last but not the least joint efforts to bring peace and harmony in the region especially in Afghanistan.
In the last two years, highest political leadership and high officials of both sides showed high level of political understanding and strong commitments to achieve desired goals of socio-economic prosperity and connectivity through peace and harmony in the region, connecting through rail corridor, investments in diverse sectors of economy, tourism and other befitting propositions between the two countries.
It also showed both countries sincere efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan through regional resolve, dialogue and development. Uzbekistan and Pakistan have been discussing a comprehensive roadmap for boosting their bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation and agreed to continue their dialogue for closer collaboration in all areas. It also reflected unanimity in their views that peace and stability in the region is vital for progress and development of their peoples.
Fortunately, both countries shared common views on
Afghanistan, regional peace, harmony, stability and jointly working on joint security mechanism against terrorism, radicalization, drugs & human trafficking. Both countries facilitated and supported the dialogue process in Afghanistan.” Both sides want peace in Afghanistan and were willing to support the efforts. Pakistan is ready to promote connectivity in the region for the benefit of our people.
Last year, Uzbek economic and investment minister had also discussed rail-road corridor, which would enhance the connectivity in the region. The project will add to Pakistan’s potential as the regional transit hub, enhance connectivity with Central Asia and beyond and aid in regional development and prosperity.
It hopes that current visit of Uzbek president will strengthen meaningful deliberations in all areas of bilateral cooperation including political, security & defence cooperation, peace process in Afghanistan as well as trade and investment promotion. Areas of mutual interest for future collaboration will also be identified, including agriculture, tourism and cultural cooperation.
Previously two sides discussed various ways to enhance cooperation in trade, transport, communication, and other sectors. They talked about strengthening cooperation in the areas of tourism, people to people exchanges and cultural and humanitarian ties between the two countries.
Uzbekistan acknowledges Pakistan’s vital role in the fight against terrorism and its efforts to bring peace and stability to the region. In this regard, both sides have a common approach to encouraging the peace process in Afghanistan, combating terrorism and facing other challenges.
In order to give further impetus to bilateral relations, the inaugural session of Bilateral Political Consultation and 6th session of Joint Ministerial Commission were held in Tashkent. The 7th joint ministerial commission and 2nd Joint Business Forum have also been held in Islamabad yesterday.
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his desire to witness rapid increase in bilateral economic cooperation in the coming years and ensured full support of the Government of Pakistan to President Mirziyoyev’s efforts in achieving lasting peace and stability in the region and beyond.
In the past The Center for South Asia & International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad strongly suggested that H.E. President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev should pay official visit to Pakistan so that regional equation of power may be in favour of both the sides. Thanks God it has now become reality.
Pakistan also provides immense opportunities of greater regional connectivity which government of Uzbekistan should be tapped for a win-win situation for both sides. Moreover due to strategic position of Pakistan its role is must to achieve desired goals of peace and harmony in the region and especially in Afghanistan which must be further strengthened through highest levels of constant dialogue and diplomacy.
President Mirziyoyev has initiated the “Strategy for the Further Development of Uzbekistan 2017-2021”. It is indeed a blue print of its socio-economic development in the next five years. It highlighted five principles i.e. improvement of state construction, economic liberalization, development of the social sphere and implementation of active foreign policy. Due to which now Uzbekistan is on the right path to achieve the desired goals of socio-economic prosperity, further politicization, democratization, greater attraction of FDIs, and the last but not the least people and business friendly bureaucracy in the country.
Now its macro-economy is more stable and sustainable. It has attractive more inflows of foreign direct investments. It has initiated rigorous commercial diplomacy due to which Uzbekistan has succeeded to achieve more and more regional investments, joint ventures and cooperation in diversified fields of economy and human survival. So being Regional Expert on Uzbekistan and Central Asia I suggest that there are ample opportunities of joint ventures in the fields of textile, garments, agro-economy, automobiles, construction, energy (solar), pharmaceutical and tourism which must be explored. Now rail corridor has also been offered by Uzbekistan government which must be pursued as soon as possible.
New reforms of tourism have already revolutionized its various sectors. H.E. Furqat Sidiqov ambassador of Uzbekistan in Pakistan has played a tremendous role in reviving the direct flights between the two sides. The embassy of Uzbekistan in Islamabad has been working tirelessly to resume fights and worked very hard to achieve the unrealized dream of greater connectivity via direct air-links between the countries. Direct connectivity has now achieved new levels of government-to-government, business-to-business and the last but not the least, people-to-people contacts between the two sides. It has widened horizon of bilateral relations and which ultimately enhanced volumes of bilateral trade, tourism, investments, joint ventures, educational and cultural cooperation.
Uzbekistan is blessed with beautiful Samarkand, the jewel of CIS and the capital of the great state of Amir Temur focused a lot of attractions, which are famous today around the world. It has rich history, culture and traditions too. Its people are decent, lovely and courageous. They respect humanity, knowledge, wisdom, beauty and the last but not the least, cross culture and civilizations.
It is blessed with architectural ensemble Registan and Ulugbek observatory. It has a famous mausoleum of Amir Temur and Bibi Khanum Mosque has become city’s decoration. Its mausoleum was built by the order of Amir Temur, who is considered one of the finest examples of medieval architecture of the East.
Uzbekistan is also blessed with holy city of Bukhara. It is spiritual hub and center of peace, love and caring to all people. It has also historical monuments and places of worship. It is very famous and one of the hot destinations of devouted tourists visiting from South East Asia, Far East, CIS, MENA, and Africa. It has so many majestic minarets, mosques and madrassas, bazaars and shopping domes, havuz-pools and areas are witnessing 2500 year history of Bukhara. It is a city of lif
e, joy, color, and brotherhood. It is the city which connects past with future.
Uzbekistan has various famous cities like Khiva, Shakhrisabz and Termez. All these cities have ancient cities, cultures, civilizations and unique traditions. These have unique architectural masterpieces and have roused the admiration of ancestors and contemporaries.
Uzbekistan has introduced many innovative and modern concepts mainly ecotourism, geo-tourism, extreme, health and cultural areas, as well as mountain climbing, rafting and fishing for the international tourists. It categorized its tourism into regions i.e. in areas with few historic monuments develop ecotourism, geo-tourism, traveling off-road, in mountainous areas extreme tours. It has also implemented a project on restoration of objects of cultural heritage, construction and reconstruction of tourist facilities, the development of new routes of ancient monuments and picturesque places.
Tourism cooperation has been increased between the two sides. Uzbek ambassador in Pakistan has introduced new concept of “religious diplomacy” which has achieved new highest in terms of tourists from Pakistan.
Uzbekistan’s Ambassador H.E. Aybek Arif Usmanov in Pakistan has been striving hard to achieve desired goals of bilateral trade, investments, and regional connectivity. He has certain doable plans to achieve greater economic diplomacy, economic integration, and science and technology cooperation for further strengthening of bilateral relations between the two sides. Uzbekistan and Pakistan offer lots of untapped potentials which need to be tapped for the betterment of bilateral relations and trade also. So current visit of the President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev has magnetic force to gear-up bilateral ties up to the level of skies.
