ISLAMABAD, Friday, February 6, 2026 (WNP): President Asif Ali Zardari and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Friday exchanged views on strengthening bilateral relations during delegation-level talks held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, reaffirming their shared commitment to expanding cooperation across economic, connectivity, security, and people-to-people domains.

Speaking on the occasion, President Zardari said Pakistan attached great importance to its close and brotherly relations with Uzbekistan, describing the partnership as natural and enduring, rooted in shared history, culture, and faith. He reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to elevate bilateral ties through enhanced cooperation in connectivity, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.

President Zardari praised President Mirziyoyev as a visionary statesman whose leadership has transformed Uzbekistan into a modern and prosperous country, with widely recognized contributions to regional and international peace.

He also acknowledged President Mirziyoyev’s personal role in bringing Pakistan and Uzbekistan closer, noting that both countries are natural partners with intertwined futures.

Expressing satisfaction over the positive trajectory of bilateral relations, President Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with Uzbekistan to further strengthen cooperation in trade, connectivity, defence, security, culture, and heritage. He highlighted the role of direct air links in bringing the two nations closer and underscored the importance of regional connectivity initiatives, including the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan Railway Project. He stressed that remaining challenges to such initiatives should be addressed through collective and coordinated efforts.

The president noted the steady growth in bilateral trade in recent years and emphasized the need to unlock the full economic potential of the relationship, with the shared objective of expanding trade volume to USD 2 billion, as agreed by both sides. He also called for enhanced people-to-people contacts, tourism cooperation, and cultural exchanges, drawing on the deep historical and spiritual links between the two countries. In addition, he highlighted the importance of greater collaboration among financial institutions, including banks, to facilitate trade and investment flows.

President Mirziyoyev, in his remarks, said Uzbekistan attached great importance to strengthening friendship and the strategic partnership with Pakistan.

He expressed satisfaction over the expansion of bilateral contacts at various levels, citing growth in trade, an increase in joint ventures, and the implementation of cooperation projects in priority sectors of the economy. He directed his relevant ministers to closely coordinate with their Pakistani counterparts to advance agreed initiatives.

The Uzbek president stressed the need to further expand practical cooperation through closer political dialogue, stronger trade, economic and investment ties, and more active business-to-business exchanges. He also invited President Zardari to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan to further consolidate bilateral relations.

Highlighting measures to enhance connectivity, President Mirziyoyev announced that two additional direct flights would be introduced between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, raising the total number of weekly flights to six. He said the move would further facilitate people-to-people contacts, tourism, and business exchanges.

The delegation-level talks reflected a shared vision in Islamabad and Tashkent to translate strong political goodwill into tangible economic and connectivity outcomes, reinforcing Pakistan–Uzbekistan relations as a key pillar of regional cooperation between South and Central Asia.