ISLAMABAD, Thursday, February 5, 2026 (WNP): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Thursday described the visit of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as a significant milestone in the strengthening of Pakistan–Uzbekistan relations, expressing confidence that the high-level engagement would open new avenues of cooperation and regional connectivity.

In a statement issued on the occasion, the information minister extended a warm and heartfelt welcome to President Mirziyoyev, noting that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif personally received the Uzbek leader, underscoring the importance Pakistan attaches to its relations with Uzbekistan.

Attaullah Tarar termed President Mirziyoyev a “dear friend of Pakistan” and said the visit reflected the deep-rooted bonds of trust, mutual respect, and shared interests between the two countries.

He added that Pakistan and Uzbekistan enjoy historic fraternal ties, which are now being translated into tangible cooperation across multiple sectors.

The minister expressed optimism that the visit would further deepen bilateral engagement in areas such as trade, investment, connectivity, energy, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. He highlighted that enhanced regional connectivity, particularly between South and Central Asia, remains a shared priority and holds the potential to unlock significant economic and development opportunities for both nations.

Attaullah Tarar also noted that high-level exchanges between Islamabad and Tashkent reflect a common vision for regional peace, stability, and prosperity. He said Pakistan looks forward to closer collaboration with Uzbekistan in pursuit of mutually beneficial projects that strengthen economic integration and promote closer ties between the peoples of the two countries.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit is widely expected to further consolidate the strategic partnership between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and provide fresh momentum to ongoing and future initiatives aimed at expanding cooperation and connectivity in the wider region.