| Pakistan, Uzbekistan sign agreements, MoUs for enhanced cooperation in diverse areas | PM welcomes Uzbek President | Both leaders agree to increase trade, culture, tourism, connectivity, climate change & security cooperation
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday signed various agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) including the bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) for increased cooperation in the areas of trade, culture, tourism, connectivity, climate change and security.
Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, who also signed Pakistan-Uzbekistan Joint Declaration: “Next Step in the Strategic Partnership” witnessed the signing ceremony held here at the PM House after the two leaders had a one-on-one meeting and held wide-ranging talks.
Agreement on cooperation in the field of Television and Radio Broadcasting between the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan and the Pakistan Television Corporation was signed by Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Uzbek Minister for Culture Ozodbek Nazabekov. MoU between the Uzbek Ministry of Tourism and Sports and Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony for the promotion of Pilgrimage Tourism was signed by Minister for Religious Affairs Noor ul Haq Qadri and Uzbek Minister for Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Kamilov.
MoU between Uzbekistan and Pakistan on cooperation in the field of environment and climate change was signed by Special Assistant to PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam and Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Investment and Foreign Trade Sardar Umurzakov.
Advisor to PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and Uzbek Minister for Investment and Foreign Trade signed the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement.
The Action Plan of practical measures (roadmap) to further develop cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan in the fields of security was signed by National Security Advisor Dr. Moeed Yousaf and Secretary to the Uzbek Security Council Viktor Makhmudov.
MoU between Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan was signed by Secretary / Chairman Pakistan Railways Habib ur Rehman Gilani and Uzbek Minister for Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov.
MoU on cooperation between Khokimiyat of Tashkent City of Uzbekistan and the Administration of Islamabad City of Pakistan was signed by Adminstrator MCI Hamza Shafqat and Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Oybek Usmanov.
MoU on cooperation between Surkhandarya Region of Uzbekistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan was signed by Secretary Industries Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zulfiqar Ali Shah and Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Oybek Usmanov.
Moreover, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan after he arrived at the latter’s official residence on Thursday.
PM Imran gave a red-carpet welcome to the Uzbek president at the Prime Minister House upon his arrival. The visiting official was also given a guard of honour by the contingents of the three services.
After receiving the guard of honour, the Uzbek president and the PM introduced their respective delegations to each other before proceeding for a one-on-one meeting.
The visiting dignitary also planted a sapling on the lawn of the PM Office.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had received Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev upon his arrival in Islamabad as he arrived in the country for a two-day visit.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier received the Uzbek president at the Noor Khan Airbase at Chaklala, Rawalpindi.
This is the Uzbek president’s maiden visit to Pakistan after taking over his country’s highest office in 2016. He is in Islamabad at the invitation of PM Imran.
Two kids clad in cultural dresses presented a bouquet to the guest as cannons boomed on his arrival.
The Uzbek president is leading a high-level delegation that includes cabinet members and businessmen.
The Foreign Office spokesperson, in its curtain raiser of the visit, had said that President Mirziyoyev’s arrival marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
The spokesperson said that 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.
A number of bilateral agreements and MoUs are also expected to 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 in his honour. President Mirziyoyev will have a separate meeting with the president of Pakistan,” the spokesperson had said.
Moreover, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that Pakistan and Uzbekistan would lobby to unfreeze Afghan assets that were frozen by the international community in the aftermath of the Taliban’s takeover.
He expressed these views while addressing a joint press stakeout at the PM House in Islamabad alongside Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who arrived in the capital earlier today on a two-day official visit.
He said that connectivity from Pakistan to Uzbekistan via Afghanistan would also benefit the people of the war-torn country who had witnessed “difficult times” for the past 40 years.
“We have decided, we will try our best that the Afghan funds that have been frozen […] we will lobby on this,” he said, gesturing to himself and the Uzbekistan president.
He added that the two countries would also meet with the Afghans to see what “conditions” are required for recognition from the international community. “What Afghanistan can do to gain international recognition: we have decided to do this campaign together.”
Before the media talk began, the two leaders witnessed the signing of different memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements between the two countries.
The premier began by welcoming the president to Pakistan, thanking him once again for the warm welcome extended to the Pakistani delegation during last year’s visit to Tashkent and Samarkand.
He noted that Uzbekistan used to enjoy close relations with South Asia for close to 500 years, which had suffered for the last 200 years. “So we, you and me, decided to mend these ties and advance our relations keeping in mind trade, our cultural links and our history.”
He said that trade between the two countries had increased 50 per cent ever since him and the president decided to advance relations, while joint ventures between Pakistani businessmen and the Uzbakistan business community had increased by five percent.
PM Imran thanked President Mirziyoyev for presenting him with a book on similar words in Urdu and Uzbek. “We have not just decided to increase trade. We will also be making a film on Zaheeruddin Babar, the first Mughal emperor who hailed from Uzbekistan.”
He also touched upon the railway project between Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. “This will connect Pakistan to Central Asia and Central Asian republics to Pakistan and Gwadar.”
The prime minister said that direct flights between the two countries would start, which would not only improve connectivity but also help to promote tourism and trade.
He went on to say that Pakistan had presented its stance on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
“We think that was is happening in IIOJK is a great injustice. It is a violation of international laws and the United Nations Security Council resolutions,” he said, adding that the global community should enforce the laws.
PM Imran also stated that Pakistan and Uzbekistan had the same stance of Islamophobia, which was that no one could insult Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) under the guise of freedom of speech.
“Muslims countries should come together and carry out a campaign,” he said. He noted that recently Pakistan had lead a similar campaign which was recognised by two Western leaders — Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
