Uzbek president set to visit Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will arrive in Pakistan on March 4 on a two-day official visit, ARY News reported quoting Foreign Office.

The Uzbek president will be visiting Pakistan at the special invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

This will be the first visit of President Mirziyoyev to Pakistan since assuming office in 2016, according to Foreign Office.

The state visit of President Mirziyoyev would mark the historic commemoration of the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

During the visit, the two leaders will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations including cooperation in political, trade and economic, connectivity, education, culture, security and defence domains.

They will have a wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues. A number of bilateral agreements/MoUs will be signed.

The prime minister will hold a one-on-one meeting with the president of Uzbekistan that would be followed by delegation-level talks and joint media stakeout.

The prime minister will also host a state banquet for the Uzbek president who would have a separate meeting with President Arif Alvi.

The two sides would focus on enhancing political and strategic linkages; fast-tracking trade, transit, and economic ties; enhancing connectivity; and promoting educational and cultural collaboration.

PM Khan had paid a two-day visit to Tashkent at the invitation of the Uzbek President on July 15, 2021.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Furqat Sidiqov while addressing a news briefing in Islamabad today reiterated the commitment to further strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan through improved connectivity.

He said the direct flights between Lahore and Tashkent will be launched in first phase while in the second stage flights between Karachi and Tashkent be resumed.

Furqat Sidiqov said the upcoming visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Pakistan will help boosting the trade volume between the two brotherly countries.