Annual trade between Pakistan and Uzbekistan can surpass $1bn in the foreseeable future, according to Uzbek Ambassador to Islamabad Oybek Usmanov. Turnover presently stands at $150mn.
Usmanov said that the opening up of transit routes and a bilateral preferential trade agreement, which became effective in March, opened up new possibilities.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during his official visit to Islamabad last year, said: "Together with Pakistan, we are building a solid bridge of cooperation not only between the two countries, but also between the strategically important regions of Central and South Asia.”
Islamabad and Tashkent subsequently agreed to accelerate the implementation of major joint transport and communication projects aimed at strengthening the interconnectedness of Central and South Asia. The importance of an early start on construction of the strategic Termez–Mazar-i-Sharif–Kabul–Peshawar railway was mentioned. The link would open the way to Pakistani seaports for landlocked Uzbekistan.
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