TASHKENT: The Honourable Chairman Senate of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, met with the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Tanzila K. Narbaeva, on the sidelines of the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent. This is the second time the two are meeting, first meeting was in Baku at the APA meeting.
This is also Chairman Senate’s second visit to Uzbekistan, with the first being during his tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan in 2011.
During the meeting, both leaders reaffirmed the deep-rooted historical ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, which are built upon centuries of shared culture, religion, and history. They emphasized the importance of strengthening parliamentary cooperation, trade, and connectivity to unlock the full potential of their relationship.
The Honourable Chairman Senate commended Uzbekistan on successfully hosting the 150th IPU Assembly and congratulated the Uzbek leadership on the recent parliamentary elections in October 2024. He highlighted that the recent visit of Pakistan’s Prime Minister to Uzbekistan in February 2025 has paved the way for enhanced strategic cooperation, with multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed to further expand bilateral engagements.
Both sides agreed that high-level visits should be increased to improve diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations. The discussion also included the necessity of exploring road and railway connectivity between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, particularly the Trans-Afghan Railway Project, which is vital for enhancing regional trade and integration.
While acknowledging the growth in bilateral trade, both leaders agreed that current figures remain considerably below its true potential. The goal should be to increase bilateral trade to at least $2 billion in the coming years, in line with the commitment made during the recent visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Uzbekistan.
The Chairman Senate emphasized the need for frequent Joint Business Forums, Single Country Exhibitions, and Logistics Forums to facilitate stronger economic linkages between Pakistani and Uzbek businesses. Both countries have Friendship groups & it was suggested that through these groups major issues in different sectors can be worked together on.
Recognizing the close geographical proximity between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, both sides discussed the need for better flight routes connecting multiple cities across both countries to facilitate tourism, trade, and people-to-people exchanges. The Chairman Senate welcomed the resumption of direct flights between Lahore and Tashkent and emphasized the importance of expanding air connectivity to other major cities in both countries.
The Honourable Chairman Senate noted that both countries have Parliamentary Friendship Groups in their respective Upper and Lower Houses, which have been active in recent years. He proposed increasing the frequency of parliamentary visits and joint sessions to enhance cooperation between the two legislative bodies.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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