Islamabad: A virtual meeting of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Group was held on Tuesday under the convenorship of Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan from Pakistan's side, while the Uzbek delegation joined via video link under the convenorship of Senator Kutbiddin Burkhanov. Senator Kamran Murtaza, Advisor to Chairman Senate and Secretary of Friendship Groups Miss Misbah Khar, and the Ambassador of Uzbekistan Mr. Alisher Tukhtaev also attended the session at Parliament House. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Commerce were present as well.
The Uzbek side highlighted the historic, cultural, economic, and social ties between both countries. Senator Kutbiddin Burkhanov congratulated Pakistan on successfully hosting the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers Conference (IPC) and appreciated Chairman Senate Senator Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Miss Misbah Khar for promoting parliamentary dialogue. He praised the IPC theme 'Peace, Security and Development,' underscoring its relevance to Pak-Uzbek relations. The delegation reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening parliamentary cooperation, people-to-people contact, and partnerships in trade, investment, and education.
Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan emphasized the vast potential for expanding trade, cultural exchanges, and defence and security cooperation amid shared regional challenges. Highlighting the significance of regional connectivity, he reiterated Pakistan's strong interest in the Trans-Afghan Pakistan Railway project to deepen Central Asia-South Asia economic integration. He also stressed the importance of cultural events to foster mutual understanding rooted in shared heritage.
Senator Afnan noted the rising bilateral trade volume and the mutual resolve to increase it to USD 2 billion annually. He identified major investment opportunities in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, defence, textiles, and tourism and highlighted ongoing tax integration efforts aimed at easing trade and reducing investment barriers.
Miss Misbah Khar underlined shared challenges and emerging opportunities in trade, development, and security. She welcomed the recent visit of the Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan's Oliy Majlis, Senator Sodyq Safoev, and termed the launch of direct flights between the two countries as a milestone in deepening bilateral cooperation. Relating the meeting to the theme of IPC, she stressed the shared objectives of peace, security, and development.
The meeting was termed a constructive step toward enhanced parliamentary cooperation. Both sides agreed to maintain regular parliamentary, business, and educational exchanges and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in culture, trade, history, and regional peace. The Uzbek side congratulated Miss Misbah Khar on the successful conduct of the IPC and praised her role in parliamentary diplomacy. Senator Afnan extended an invitation to the Uzbek delegation to visit Pakistan, while Uzbek parliamentarians invited the Pakistani Friendship Group to visit Uzbekistan.