Uzbek Parliamentary Delegation Meets Acting President Gilani in Islamabad

slamabad, Sept 29 — A high-level meeting was held at the Presidential House on Sunday between the parliamentary delegation of Uzbekistan, led by Speaker of the Oliy Majlis Nurdinjon Ismoilov, and Chairman of the Senate and Acting President of Pakistan, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The two sides engaged in comprehensive talks on strengthening the Uzbekistan–Pakistan strategic partnership, with a focus on expanding cooperation in political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian fields, as well as enhancing inter-parliamentary relations.

Both leaders emphasized that the Uzbek delegation’s visit marked a significant step toward deepening mutual trust and cooperation. They noted that frequent interactions between the leadership of both nations had made bilateral relations more dynamic, highlighting Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s visit to Tashkent earlier this year as a milestone.

Economic cooperation remained a central theme. It was noted that trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Pakistan surpassed $404 million in 2024, and has already reached $320 million in the first seven months of 2025. Both sides expressed confidence in achieving the ambitious target of raising bilateral trade to $2 billion in the coming years.

Acting President Gilani reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong support for the construction of the Trans-Afghan Railway and assured full facilitation for Uzbek producers to access the ports of Karachi, Qasim, and Gwadar.

The talks also explored avenues in education and culture. Cooperation in the study of Islamic scholars and historical figures — including Imam al-Bukhari, Imam al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad al-Farghani, and Zahiriddin Babur — was discussed, along with prospects for establishing joint faculties, educational centers, and expanding cultural and tourism exchanges.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Speaker Ismoilov invited Chairman Gilani to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan, an invitation which Gilani warmly accepted.