Uzbekistan, Pakistan Forge Strategic Partnership with Sweeping Cooperation Pact
Uzbekistan and Pakistan have ushered in a new era of strategic partnership following the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, sealing a landmark package of agreements spanning trade, investment, security, technology, culture, and regional cooperation.
In the presence of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the two sides signed a Joint Declaration setting out an ambitious and wide-ranging agenda for bilateral ties, The Caspian Post reported via Uzbek media.
The signing ceremony marked a major step forward in Uzbekistan–Pakistan relations, with accords covering diplomacy, commerce, security, science, culture, and regional development. Key documents included a 2026–2028 cooperation program between the two countries’ foreign ministries, agreements establishing the Uzbekistan–Pakistan Business Council and Interregional Forum, and a protocol expanding the list of goods under the Preferential Trade Agreement.
Economic cooperation featured prominently, with deals on port services and tariff concessions, mining and geology, agriculture and research, textiles, pharmaceuticals, digital and information technologies, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. Cultural and humanitarian links were strengthened through agreements on culture, sports, and the preservation and promotion of the scientific, educational, cultural, and architectural heritage of the Great Baburids Dynasty.
The two sides also agreed to deepen collaboration in strategic and sensitive areas, including radiation and nuclear safety, environmental protection and disaster response, emergency management, anti-corruption efforts, and combating illicit drug trafficking. Legal cooperation was enhanced through an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, while trade facilitation advanced with a phytosanitary protocol enabling exports of Uzbek fresh apples, figs, lemons, and hot peppers to Pakistan.
In the security domain, a dedicated roadmap was signed between the defense ministries. Additional agreements established the Uzbekistan–Pakistan Council of Experts and expanded institutional links among economic bodies, regional administrations, think tanks, and universities in Termez, Peshawar, Samarkand, Islamabad, and Tashkent.
Together, the broad package of accords reflects both countries’ determination to build a long-term, multidimensional partnership backed by strong political commitment and concrete implementation mechanisms.
