Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed multiple agreements and MoUs on Wednesday to boost bilateral cooperation in defence, technology, technical training, and youth empowerment.
The accords were finalized during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day visit to Uzbekistan at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Key Agreements Signed
After bilateral and delegation-level talks, both leaders witnessed the signing ceremony, where officials exchanged pre-signed documents covering various areas of cooperation.
- Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov exchanged agreements on:
- Visa-free travel for diplomatic passport holders
- Military intelligence collaboration
- Internal affairs and security cooperation
- Professional and technical training
- Diplomatic training programs
- An inter-government agreement was signed to promote scientific research, technology, and innovation, with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Uzbek Deputy PM Khodjayev Jamshid exchanging the documents.
- Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar and Director General of Uzbekistan’s National Information Agency, Kuchimov Abdusaid, signed a news cooperation agreement between the two countries’ media agencies.
- DPM Ishaq Dar and Tashkent Mayor Shavkat Umurzakov Buranovich exchanged an MoU between Lahore and Tashkent, strengthening city-to-city collaboration.
- Another MoU on youth affairs was exchanged between Minister Tarar and Uzbekistan’s Youth Affairs Director Sa’dullayev Alisher, fostering cooperation between Pakistan’s PM Youth Programme and Uzbekistan’s government.
High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council
The visit concluded with PM Shehbaz and President Mirziyoyev signing a joint declaration outlining the outcomes of the visit. Additionally, they finalized protocols for the establishment of a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, marking a new chapter in Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations.
