A videoconference has been held between the leading analytical structures of Uzbekistan and Pakistan on “Uzbekistan – Pakistan: Prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation”.

The event, organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan together with the Center for Global and Strategic Studies of Pakistan, was attended by prominent scientists and experts from leading research institutes and think tanks of the two countries.

The parties discussed the state and prospects of collaboration between Uzbekistan and Pakistan against the background of strengthening connectivity between the Central and South Asian regions.

First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Akromjon Nematov, emphasized the importance of the event taking place after the completion of an important bilateral summit at the highest level – President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. “This meeting defined a new starting point in Uzbekistan – Pakistan relations, traditionally based on the principles of high mutual understanding, deep respect and sincere friendship”, he said.

The ISRS representative noted with satisfaction that today Tashkent and Islamabad actually took a course towards reanimating historical ties. Relations between the two countries, which have reached the level of strategic partnership, have a huge potential for significant growth in trade, tourism, transport and industrial cooperation.

A powerful impetus to achieving these goals, according to the President of the Center for Global and Strategic Studies of Pakistan, Syed Khalid Amir Jaffery, will undoubtedly be given by the summit held on April 14 between the leaders of the two countries. The heads of state identified specific steps to further develop a multifaceted partnership.

The expert emphasized that since 2016, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Pakistan has quadrupled, but the countries have a huge untapped potential for further increasing the trade turnover. For example, significant prospects are opening up in the transport and communications sector. The implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway will radically increase the transit potential of Central Asia and revive the historical role of the region as a bridge connecting Europe and Asia with the shortest land route.

Its launch, according to the Director of the Area Study Centre (Russia China and Central Asia) at the University of Peshawar, Shabir Ahmad Khan, will certainly become an important milestone in the revival of the historical connectivity of the cities of Termez and Peshawar, which, once the capitals of the ancient Kushan Empire, flourished in the era of the ancient Silk Road.

According to the expert, such areas as agriculture (gardening, cotton processing) and pharmaceuticals can become promising areas for increasing interaction.

Following the meeting, the participants agreed on the need for a regular exchange of views between the analytical structures of the two countries to develop new promising areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.

UzA