Pakistan Reaffirms ‘Brotherly’ Ties with Uzbekistan, Zardari Accepts Mirziyoyev’s Invitation
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday reaffirmed that Pakistan attaches great importance to its close brotherly relations with Uzbekistan, highlighting the need for effective follow-up on the outcomes of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s recent historic and result-oriented state visit to Pakistan.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr and delivered a letter from President Mirziyoyev.
In his message, the Uzbek president thanked President Zardari, the government and the people of Pakistan for the warm welcome and exceptional hospitality extended to him during his visit. He also expressed appreciation for being awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan, the country’s highest civilian honour, as well as an honorary professorship and doctorate.
President Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Uzbekistan in key sectors, including food and agriculture, mining, information technology, tourism, health and banking. He welcomed Uzbekistan’s interest in importing halal meat, fruits and potatoes from Pakistan, calling it a positive development for boosting bilateral trade.
President Mirziyoyev also renewed his invitation to President Zardari, first extended during their tête-à-tête meeting. President Zardari accepted the invitation and directed the relevant Pakistani authorities to coordinate with their Uzbek counterparts to finalise the visit later this year.
He further conveyed his appreciation to President Mirziyoyev for his message of solidarity and support following the recent terrorist attack in Islamabad, reaffirming the shared commitment of both countries to advancing peace, stability and development.
Ambassador Tukhtaev also informed President Zardari of Uzbekistan’s interest in developing Babur Park in Islamabad’s F-7 sector, adding that a relevant Uzbek minister would visit the capital next week to discuss the project with Pakistani officials.
