Pakistan Eyes Rapprochement With Central Asia
This is the third time that Prime Minister Imran Khan has met the president of Uzbekistan
Prime Minister Imran Khan is currently on a two-day visit to Uzbekistan with cabinet members as Pakistan seeks to nourish relations with Central Asia and conclude the Afghan peace process.
Imran Khan was invited by the country’s president Shavkat Mirziyoyev and this will be the first time that the premier will be addressing the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum.
During the tour, the premier shed light on trade, economy, and connectivity between the two countries and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI inaugurated the Uzbekistan-Pakistan 🇺🇿-🇵🇰 Business Forum on 15 July 2021. The event was organized by Pakistan in coordination with Uzbek authorities in Tashkent with a view to boosting bilateral trade and economic relations.#PMIKinUzbekistan pic.twitter.com/iSRcg6dnXF
— Prime Minister’s Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) July 15, 2021
He also underlined the vision of Naya Pakistan, Pakistan’s positive contribution to peace and security at regional and international level, and shift from geopolitics to geoeconomics.
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In a video statement, Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, who was accompanying Imran Khan, noted down some beneficial outcomes of the premier’s visit to Uzbekistan.
Highlighting the vision of friendship, he said that Pakistan wants to create trading ties with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan such that a goods truck from Karachi or Gwadar port shall reach Central Asian States (CAS) without any hindrances.
وفاقی وزیرِ اطلاعات ونشریات چوہدری فواد حسین کا وزیراعظم عمران خان کے جاری دورہ ازبکستان سے متعلق بیان@fawadchaudhry pic.twitter.com/V5tDJOHar7
— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) July 15, 2021
Moreover, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov on July 13.
The two foreign ministers exchanged their views on the rapidly transforming situation in Afghanistan and agreed that the region is not ready to face another civil war.
Today at the SCO Contact Group meeting on Afghanistan, i spoke about the need to maximize our cooperation and coordination to support the Afghan people. The hopes of a better future are contingent upon moving forward together, on the road to peace, stability and progress. pic.twitter.com/t1bMCj0vKq
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) July 14, 2021
Earlier, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov called on Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on March 10 and discussed overall regional situation revolving around the Afghan Peace Process.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has met the Uzbek president for the third time. The two leaders had interacted twice before on the sidelines of BRI Forum in Beijing and SCO Summit in Bishkek.
