FO says, talks between premier and Uzbek president to cover “entire gamut of bilateral relations”
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Imran Khan left for Tashkent on Thursday for an official two-day visit to Uzbekistan.
“On the invitation of His Excellency President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Imran Khan will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on 15-16 July 2021,” the Foreign Office had said in a statement released a day ago.
The premier is accompanied by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf and senior minister for IT, Science and Technology Atif Khan. He is also joined by a group of Pakistan’s leading businessmen.
According to the FO, talks between PM Imran and President Mirziyoyev will cover “the entire gamut of bilateral relations, with a particular focus on trade, economic cooperation and connectivity”. The statement said that the two leaders will also “exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest”.
The PM’s visit carries special significance, particularly regarding bilateral and regional trade, regional connectivity and defense cooperation.
Read Preferential trade deal with Uzbekistan likely.
According to Adviser to the PM on Commerce, Textile, Industries, Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, “An improvement in bilateral trade relations with Tashkent can enhance Pakistan’s exports to the Central Asian region, which has a trade potential of $90 billion.”
During the premier’s visit, several agreements and MoUs will be signed in areas of mutual interest, including transportation of goods, cooperation between the countries’ chambers of commerce, trade, education, culture and tourism.
The prime minister will also address the first Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum.
On the invitation of the Uzbek president, the premier will further participate in the ‘International Conference on Central and South Asia Regional Connectivity: Challenges and Opportunities’.
The conference is to be attended by ministers and high representatives from Central and South Asian countries, international organisations, and international financial institutions.
This will be the third time PM Imran will be meeting President Mirziyoyev. The two leaders have interacted twice on the sidelines of the BRI Forum in Beijing, and the SCO Summit in Bishkek.
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