ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to boost economic cooperation by turning existing agreements into concrete projects with clear timelines and financing arrangements.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Uzbek Deputy Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade Ilzat Kasimov in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Monday.
The two sides discussed regional connectivity, investment opportunities and ways to mobilise international financing, with the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway project taking centre stage.
Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to strengthen economic cooperation and translate existing agreements into concrete projects with clear timelines and financing arrangements@PlanComPakistan @betterpakistan @ForeignOfficePk https://t.co/TBCyKN8soG pic.twitter.com/saWzNc5ZGW
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) September 28, 2026
Iqbal called for moving beyond political commitments towards bankable projects that deliver measurable economic results.
He said the proposed railway could provide a vital trade link between Central Asian markets and Pakistani seaports, strengthening regional connectivity and economic integration.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Bishkek, with the two leaders discussing ways to further strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation.
In February this year, President Mirziyoyev paid a two-day official visit to Islamabad aimed at deepening bilateral ties.
During the visit, the two countries signed 28 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) across multiple sectors to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Over the years, the relationship between Islamabad and Tashkent has strengthened due to high-level interactions, increased economic partnership, and collaboration in regional and international forums.
