By Nigora Sultanova,
Chief Research Fellow, Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

TASHKENT, Tuesday, January 27, 2026 (WNP): The deepening partnership between Uzbekistan and Pakistan is rapidly emerging as one of the most consequential strategic alignments across Eurasia, with both countries leveraging shared history and geography to build a modern framework of connectivity spanning trade, transport, energy, technology, and people-to-people ties.

Positioned at the historic crossroads of the ancient Silk Road, Tashkent and Islamabad are translating centuries-old civilizational links into concrete initiatives aimed at strengthening economic resilience, enhancing technological independence, and advancing regional integration between Central and South Asia.

Since the early 2020s, bilateral relations have gained steady momentum, driven largely by strong political commitment at the highest levels. The signing of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership in 2021 marked a turning point, setting an ambitious agenda for closer cooperation. Regular high-level exchanges, sustained foreign ministry consultations, and active coordination within international forums have since enabled both sides to address shared challenges and identify new areas of collaboration.

A major boost to ties came with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to Uzbekistan in February 2025, during which he held extensive talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The two leaders expressed satisfaction over the rapid expansion of cooperation in areas ranging from trade and investment to transport connectivity, digital technologies, and cultural exchanges. Praising Uzbekistan’s reform trajectory, Prime Minister Sharif remarked that transformative progress is achieved through “clear vision, dynamism, hard work, and steadfast pursuit of common goals.”

A key outcome of the visit was the establishment of the High-Level Strategic Partnership Council, providing a robust institutional mechanism to coordinate and accelerate bilateral cooperation. The move consolidated earlier agreements and laid the groundwork for systematic, long-term engagement.

Parliamentary cooperation has also emerged as a stabilizing pillar of the relationship. Inter-parliamentary friendship groups have played a notable role in promoting legislative initiatives to ease business procedures, enhance transparency, and create a predictable legal environment for joint ventures, thereby reinforcing trust and continuity in bilateral ties.

Economic cooperation remains the most visible indicator of the partnership’s growth. Pakistan has become one of Uzbekistan’s leading trade partners in South Asia, while bilateral trade has expanded more than twelvefold since 2016.

In 2025 alone, trade volume exceeded $440 million, with Uzbek exports accounting for over $320 million. Both sides have now set an ambitious target of boosting bilateral trade to $2 billion in the near future.

The Preferential Trade Agreement between the two governments, granting customs concessions on 17 categories of goods from each side, has significantly facilitated market access and stimulated commercial exchanges. Business-to-business ties are also expanding rapidly. As of October 2025, around 180 companies with Pakistani capital were operating in Uzbekistan, reflecting growing investor confidence and long-term commitment.

Flagship trade and business events have reinforced this trend. Tashkent hosted the first International Exhibition “Made in Pakistan” and a joint Logistics Forum in 2024, featuring more than 80 leading Pakistani companies. In February 2025, Lahore hosted the “Made in Uzbekistan” exhibition, resulting in the signing of 181 trade agreements worth $500 million—clear evidence of mutual commercial interest.

Investment cooperation has followed a similar upward trajectory. Pakistani investments in joint projects reached $33 million in 2024 and nearly doubled to $70 million in the first seven months of 2025. Joint ventures are expanding across textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, perfumery, and manufacturing, while Uzbek firms are exploring projects in Pakistan involving household appliances, tractors, smart meters, and gas infrastructure.

Digital cooperation is gaining prominence as well, with joint initiatives in software development, IT services, startups, and innovation ecosystems supporting technological modernization and competitiveness in both economies. To support trade facilitation, Uzbekistan opened trade houses in Lahore and Karachi in 2025, while Pakistan plans to establish trade missions in Tashkent and Samarkand.

Transport connectivity remains central to the partnership, particularly the flagship Trans-Afghan Railway project, which aims to reconnect Central and South Asia through a strategic corridor. Once operational, the route is expected to reduce delivery times to 3–5 days and cut transport costs by over 40 percent, significantly boosting regional trade competitiveness. In 2025, key feasibility studies were completed, and intergovernmental consultations on route design and financing continued.

Energy cooperation is also gaining traction, with joint prospects in geological exploration, oil and gas development, and modernization of processing facilities, offering opportunities to enhance energy security and industrial growth.

Beyond economics, cultural and humanitarian cooperation continues to deepen, rooted in shared spiritual and intellectual heritage.

Pakistan has shown particular interest in President Mirziyoyev’s concept of the “Third Renaissance,” which draws inspiration from historic scholars such as Al-Khwarizmi, Mirzo Ulugbek, and Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur—figures who resonate strongly across both societies.

Tourism has emerged as a powerful driver of people-to-people ties. Improved air connectivity, including direct flights between Islamabad and Tashkent and between Lahore and Tashkent, enabled more than 10,000 Pakistani tourists and pilgrims to visit Uzbekistan in 2025—nearly two-and-a-half times the number recorded in 2023. Sacred sites associated with Imam Bukhari, Imam Termezi, and Bahauddin Naqshband have become focal points of growing religious and cultural tourism.

Looking ahead, the planned visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Islamabad in early February 2026 is expected to mark another milestone, unlocking new initiatives in trade, transport, energy, and digital cooperation while injecting fresh momentum into the strategic partnership.

Analysts emphasize that sustaining this trajectory will require deeper engagement at all levels—national and regional governments, small and medium-sized enterprises, academia, youth, and civil society. Such a comprehensive approach, they argue, will ensure that the bridges of friendship between Uzbekistan and Pakistan—rooted in shared history and spiritual affinity—evolve into a durable, future-oriented partnership supporting regional integration and long-term stability across Central and South Asia.