Naveed Ahmad Khan
Islamabad :   Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev  said Uzbekistan is planning more to deepen cooperation with Pakistan in all areas of tourism industry and cultural exchanges.
He was addressed the ceremony of the bridging cultural tourism potential of Uzbekistan in Islamabad hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan . On the occasion of Ambassador announced the appointment of the Hamid Ahmad Choudhary as Tourism Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan.Managing Director of Pakistan Tourism, Aftab Rana was the chief guest and Sajada Nasheen Eidgah Sharif Pir Naqeeb ur Rehman was the guest of honor.
He invited Pakistani tour operators, investors, and businessmen to partner with Uzbekistan in developing joint travel packages, hospitality projects, and cultural events.
The Uzbek Ambassador said Islamabad and Tashkent can make Central and South Asia one of the interconnected and most attractive tourism regions in the world.
He said by developing tourism in both directions, both sides will strengthen mutual understanding, create new economic opportunities, and build even closer bonds between our peoples.
Ambassador expressed his culture, history Magnificent architecture and profound spirituality, Uzbekistan has for millennia been a land where ideas flourished and faith was strengthened. Our cities, such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Khivar, Khakan, Shakhrisar, and Termez, are among the cradles of Islamic scholarship, culture, and art. These cities are living museums of Islamic architecture, spirituality, intellectual life, and they have nurtured the golden age of Islamic science and thought. They are living symbols of our shared faith, history, and values. That’s why these historical and Islamic heritage sites belong not only to the people of Uzbekistan, but to the entire Muslim Ummah. Dear friends, the sacred land of Uzbekistan has given birth to great scholars and saints, such as Imam al-Bukhari, Imam al-Bukhari.
The Ambassador said the Muslim Ummah are ones who shaped not only our original identity, but also the universal heritage of Islamic civilization. That’s why these scholars were the intellectual ancestors of not just Uzbekistan, but also of all Muslim Ummah, including the Great Nation of Pakistan. When we speak of the Naqshbandi tradition, which has profoundly influenced Sufism in Pakistan, we speak of the legacy of Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi, whose shrine in Bukhara remains a major pilgrimage site for believers from across the Muslim world.
The connection between Uzbekistan and Pakistan is not a matter of modern diplomacy alone. It is a civilizational kinship rooted in shared scholars, shared sense, and shared souls. In this regard, the Government of Uzbekistan warmly invites our Pakistani friends to visit and perform spiritual Ziarah journeys in these blessed places. We wish to see more Pakistani brothers and sisters walking through the same streets where great scholars once stood, where science, literature, and Islamic thought flourished for centuries.
This appointment carries great symbolic and practical importance.  Hamid is not only a prominent personality in Pakistan’s tourism community, but also a passionate advocate of cultural connectivity and historical awareness.
He said  I am confident that through his tireless efforts, more Pakistanis will come to discover Uzbekistan as a destination of faith, culture, learning, and inspiration.
We should not only promote traditional tourism, but we should go beyond and play an active role in advancing academic tourism and intellectual diplomacy, fostering research, collaboration, and dialogue between our scholars, historians, linguists, and cultural experts. We must encourage joint research on our languages, literature, traditions, and shared heritage to preserve them, promote them, and pass them on to future generations, ensuring that they continue to serve as a bridge of friendship and mutual understanding between our two great nations.
Managing Director of Pakistan Tourism, Aftab Rana said that bridging cultures and tourism of Uzbekistan reflects the cultural harmony and regional friendship. He said tourism is the best way to promote cultural exchange and people to people contacts at regional level. He also appreciated the efforts of the government of Uzbekistan to revive the direct flight between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. He assured that PTDC will continue to play a lead role in promoting B2B linkages to develop bilateral tourism between the two countries and other Central Asian States.
Aftab ur Rehman Rana said the online visa system will support the visitors which will be  a significant milestone in the realm of adventure tourism and regional integration.
“PTDC is proud to support initiatives that promote Pakistan’s soft image and heritage to the world.
Bridging culture, tourism potential of Uzbekistan, a special ceremony dedicated.
Together, we will continue to promote Uzbekistan’s rich Silk Road heritage, cultural treasures, and tourism opportunities in Pakistan, encouraging more travelers to experience the unmatched beauty, history, and hospitality of this extraordinary country.
All PTDC stakeholders, media representatives, and the general public were also present to celebrate and support this inspirational journey, which is set to become a memorable chapter in Pakistan’s tourism history.
The event concluded with a renewed commitment from both sides to deepen tourism cooperation and encourage cultural exchange initiatives, joint travel packages, and eco-friendly tourism development.
