Pakistan, Uzbekistan eye $2b trade goal
PM Shehbaz Sharif and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev raise hands in solidarity during the joint press stakeout in Tashkent. Photo: PPI
Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, met Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, in Islamabad on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen economic and industrial ties between the two countries.
According to an official statement, the Uzbek envoy expressed gratitude for Pakistan's continued support and stressed the need to deepen collaboration in key sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy, and food processing.
Khan reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to enhancing bilateral relations in line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's vision of increasing trade and industrial cooperation. He highlighted the PM Sharif's target of raising bilateral trade with Uzbekistan to $2 billion, noting that efforts were underway at all levels to achieve this.
During the meeting, both sides emphasised the importance of joint ventures in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and cooperation in public procurement. They also discussed collaboration in e-commerce, with the ambassador inviting Pakistani digital firms to explore opportunities in Uzbekistan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
NSC backs diplomacy over war in region
Pakistan will side with peace and ready to play a constructive role in seeking a diplomatic solution to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict that now the United States has also become part of, raising the spectre of wider regional war, officials said after a civil-military huddle on Monday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Middle East in the wake of the US abandoning its 45-year-old Iran policy and launching direct strikes on its nuclear sites on Sunday. Senior cabinet members, military chiefs, including Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and others were in attendance. The direct involvement of the US in the Israel-Iran war has added new and dangerous dimensions to the already volatile region. It has compounded Pakistan's challenge as it has to walk a tightrope in a war that has direct bearing on the country. Against this backdrop, the civil and military leadership discussed in detail the current situation and Pakistan's strategy. Sources familiar with the development said that there was complete unanimity of views in the meeting that Pakistan must first protect its own national interests and pursue the path of diplomacy. They added that Pakistan, given its close ties with Iran and the recent reset with the US, under the administration of President Donald Trump, had a unique position to broker a deal or facilitate a diplomatic solution. According to sources, Pakistan would avail every opportunity and leave no stone unturned to prevent further escalation. An official handout of the meeting stated that the prime minister chaired the NSC meeting to review the evolving regional situation following Israeli aggression against Iran. The committee strongly condemned Israel's acts of aggression and expressed regret that these military attacks coincided with a constructive negotiation process between Iran and the United States. "These reckless actions have escalated tensions, threatening to ignite a wider conflict and diminishing the opportunities for dialogue and diplomacy. The NSC reaffirmed Iran's right to self-defence as enshrined in the UN Charter," it said. The committee conveyed condolences to the government and people of Iran on loss of innocent lives and prayed for the recovery of injured. While reiterating Pakistan's stated position, the NSC expressed grave concern over the potential for further escalation after the attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on June 22, which violated the resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), relevant international law, and the UN Charter. Interestingly, the NSC statement did not explicitly mention the US nor condemn its strikes. However, officials referred to the part of a statement where it said that Pakistan reiterated its "stated position" implying that previous condemnation statements issued by the Foreign Office and the prime minister were endorsed by the committee. The officials dismissed the perception there was any change in Pakistan's stance. The NSC also reaffirmed Pakistan's close engagement with relevant parties and endorsed its readiness to further continue efforts and initiatives aimed at promoting regional peace and stability. The NSC called on all relevant parties to resolve the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, in line with the UN Charter. The committee underscored the need for adhering to international human rights and humanitarian laws. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Protest staged against US strikes on Iran
There have been monthly protests in the British capital since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas. Photo AFP On the call of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, a nationwide Day of Protest was observed on Monday against US terrorism targeting Iran. In Karachi, JI Youth staged a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club. Protesters raised slogans such as Death to America and Israel, and We stand with Iran and Palestine. They carried placards denouncing the US-Israel alliance as a nexus of evil and murderers of the Ummah. JI Vice Ameer Muslim Pervez, JI Youth President Hashim Abdali, and other leaders, condemned the US airstrikes and accused President Donald Trump of proving America to be the "biggest global terrorist." They warned that the joint aggression by the US and Israel is not only a direct threat to Iran, but also to regional stability and Pakistan's security. Speakers criticised the Pakistani government's recommendation for a Nobel Prize for Donald Trump, calling it "shameful and hypocritical."
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PM speaks with Qatar, Saudi envoys
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with the ambassadors of Qatar and Saudi Arabia and shared his concerns on the latest escalation following Iranian missile strike on a US base in Doha. Speaking with Qatar's Ambassador Ali Mubarak Ali Essa Al-Khater, Shehbaz expressed solidarity with the government and the people of Qatar at this difficult time. He stressed that "all efforts must be made" to de-escalate tensions and restore peace in the region. The Qatari ambassador thanked the prime minister for immediately reaching out to him after this most unfortunate development, as well as for the expression of solidarity with the leadership and people of Qatar at this critical time. Also, the prime minister spoke with Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Al Malki of Saudi Arabia and expressed his serious concern over the reports of missile attacks on a US military base in Qatar. He said that Pakistan would continue to work closely with Saudi Arabia to intensify peace efforts. The Saudi ambassador thanked the prime minister for reaching out to him immediately. He agreed that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan must continue to work together and coordinate closely to ensure an early peaceful settlement of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
