Islamabad: Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gillani and Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Tanzila K Narbaeva, met on Friday during the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent. This was the second meeting between the two leaders, with their first encounter having taken place in Baku at the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary (APA) conference. It also marks Gillani’s second visit to Uzbekistan, his first having occurred in 2011 during his tenure as prime minister.
The leaders reaffirmed the deep-rooted historical ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, emphasizing their shared culture, religion, and history that form the foundation of their bilateral relationship. During the meeting, both leaders underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, connectivity, and parliamentary collaboration, to unlock the full potential of their relationship.
Gillani commended Uzbekistan for successfully hosting the 150th IPU Assembly and congratulated the Uzbek leadership on the successful parliamentary elections held in October 2024. He highlighted the recent visit of Pakistan’s Prime Minister to Uzbekistan in February 2025, which had paved the way for enhanced strategic cooperation, marked by the signing of multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at expanding bilateral engagement.
The leaders discussed the need for increased high-level visits to further improve diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations between their countries. A key focus of the talks was the exploration of road and railway connectivity between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, particularly the Trans-Afghan Railway Project, which is vital for improving regional trade and integration.
Both sides acknowledged the growing bilateral trade but agreed that current figures remain below their true potential. They expressed a shared goal of increasing trade to at least USD 2 billion in the coming years, in line with the targets set during the recent visit of former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Uzbekistan.
Gillani stressed the importance of facilitating stronger economic linkages between Pakistani and Uzbek businesses by holding more Joint Business Forums, Single Country Exhibitions, and Logistics Forums. Recognizing the close geographical proximity between the two nations, the leaders discussed enhancing air connectivity to foster tourism, trade, and people-to-people exchanges. Gillani welcomed the resumption of direct flights between Lahore and Tashkent and called for expanding flight routes to other major cities in both countries.
In their efforts to strengthen inter-parliamentary ties, both countries agreed to increase the frequency of parliamentary visits and joint sessions. Gillani extended an invitation to Narbaeva to visit Pakistan, reinforcing Pakistan’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Uzbekistan across all sectors.
The meeting concluded with both leaders expressing optimism about the future of Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations, reaffirming their commitment to a more connected, prosperous, and strategically aligned partnership.
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