Prime Minister Khan says Islamabad wants strong trade relations with Tashkent
Naveed Ahmad Khan
TASHKENT: President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan continued negotiations with the participation of official delegations of the two countries. They considered the development of cooperation in the political, trade and economic, investment, transport and transit, tourism, educational spheres.
The head of our state noted the increasingly strengthening relations of traditional friendship and multifaceted practical cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, as well as the similarity of the reforms carried out in the two countries. Pakistan, which has a high prestige in the world, is a promising partner for Uzbekistan with great potential. You and I are building a new Pakistan and a new Uzbekistan.
The content and spirit of our socially oriented reforms in all areas are similar and consonant.Your visit will open a new era in the history of our multifaceted relations, – said Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The sides reaffirmed their firm course towards expanding and developing bilateral cooperation and are ready to take concrete measures in this direction.
Since the last summits and online summit of leaders, there has been a significant break-through in the relationship between the two countries. Mutual multifaceted contacts and cultural exchanges have intensified. A meeting of the joint Intergovernmental Commission took place yesterday. Today, for the first time, a business forum of business people of Uzbekistan and Pakistan is being held in Tashkent.
Following the talks between the leaders of Uzbekistan and Pakistan,a briefing was held for representatives of the media. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called the official visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan an important political event, opening a new page in the history of inter-
state relations. We are pleased that in recent years our multifaceted relations have risen to a qualitatively and substantively even higher level. The just-concluded talks in narrow and expanded format have proved the firmness of our intentions to develop relations of friendship and cooperation.
Given the current high level of interaction between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, we signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between our states. We can say with confidence that this important step will open a new era in the history of our relations,- said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Following the talks, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Imran Khan signed a Joint Declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. An exchange of 8 documents signed during the visit took place. Among them, intergovernmental agreements on transit and trade, as well as on the simplification of visa procedures for representatives of business circles and tourist groups, are of particular importance.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan is looking forward to further deepen trade and investment ties with Uzbekistan. While addressing a joint press conference with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, PM Khan said that strong bilateral relations would facilitate closer economic cooperation between the two countries.He also thanked the Uzbek president for the warm welcome in Tashkent.