Establishment of JSC to help boost ties with Uzbekistan: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday expressed the hope that the signing a Pakistan-Uzbekistan Protocol on establishment of Joint Security Commission will help further strengthens relations between the two countries.

Qureshi was speaking to the visiting Secretary of the Security Council of Uzbekistan Lt-Gen Victor Makhmudov, who held a meeting with him, here at the Foreign Office.

During the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations, defence and military cooperation, and the evolving situation in Afghanistan, according to a statement of the Foreign Office.

The two sides also reaffirmed to activate existing defense and military cooperation agreements between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said that Pakistan attaches special importance to its bilateral relations with Uzbekistan, adding that relations between the two countries are based on fraternal ties, common religious and cultural values.

He said that Pakistan seeks to transform the long-standing relations with Uzbekistan into a strategic partnership.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Tashkent on July 16-17, 2021 and his meeting with the Uzbek president further enhanced the bilateral relations.

Pakistan, under the “Vision Central Asia” policy, seeks to promote ties with the Central Asian states, including Uzbekistan, he added.

He hoped that the agreement signed on Tuesday between Pakistan and Uzbekistan on the establishment of a joint security commission will help further strengthen relations between the two countries.

He said that the commission will help prevent terrorism, drug trafficking and also provide a ground for the two countries to cooperate with each other during natural calamities.

On Afghanistan, the foreign minister said that both Pakistan and Uzbekistan have similar views on the situation in the war-ravaged country.

Qureshi called upon the international community to help the Afghan people with a view to evert the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

The foreign minister further stated that Pakistan is focused on its geopolitical priorities, adding that peace in Afghanistan will boost trade and economic ties with Central Asian states.

As Afghanistan’s closest neighbours, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have a common interest in restoration of peace in Afghanistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021