Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed a protocol committing both countries to raise bilateral trade to $2 billion within the next five years, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Islamabad.

The protocol provides for the establishment of a joint working group tasked with drafting a five year action plan to identify priority sectors and remove bottlenecks to trade and economic cooperation. State broadcaster Radio Pakistan said the group will work through regular consultations between the two sides.

| 28 accords signed, trade and industry in focus

A total of 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed on the first day of President Mirziyoyev’s two day visit, with 20 documents exchanged at a formal signing ceremony.

Key economic and trade related agreements included a protocol to expand the list of goods covered under the Pakistan Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement, and an accord to establish a Pakistan Uzbekistan Interregional Forum aimed at strengthening regional and business to business cooperation.

| Digital economy and connectivity

In the digital and technology space, Pakistan’s Ministry of IT and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies signed an MoU to promote cooperation in digital infrastructure, innovation and technology exchange.

On regional connectivity, both leaders reaffirmed their support for enhanced road, rail, air and maritime links. They reiterated that the Uzbekistan Afghanistan Pakistan railway project would be a key driver of trade and access to Pakistani seaports for Central Asia.

According to official statements, both governments expressed satisfaction over the steady expansion of trade and economic cooperation in recent years. Bilateral trade crossed $1bn under a deal signed in 2023, and officials said the new protocol was designed to move the relationship into a more structured, target driven phase focused on trade, investment and connectivity.

Source: Pakistan Today