ISLAMABAD: Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Thursday, with a high-level delegation to identify new avenues for bilateral cooperation in trade, defense, energy and other avenues, state-run media reported. 

The visit takes place after the 10th session of the Pakistan–Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation was held in Islamabad on Feb. 2. Both sides reaffirmed their $2 billion trade target and agreed to push for regional connectivity, develop trade routes and accelerate cooperation in several sectors. 

Mirziyoyev was given a red-carpet welcome when his aircraft landed at the Nur Khan Airbase, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. He was welcomed by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior members of the cabinet. 

“Discussions will focus on reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations and identifying new avenues to further deepen cooperation in diverse sectors, including trade, energy, defense, education, people-to-people exchange and regional connectivity,” APP reported. 

The Uzbek president will meet President Zardari, hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Sharif, and address the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum during his visit. 

Mirziyoyev’s visit takes place two days after Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Islamabad to hold talks on trade, business and connectivity. 

Pakistan and Kazakhstan signed 37 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and set a target of raising bilateral trade to $1 billion within a year during Tokayev’s visit. 

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have steadily increased economic ties in recent years as Islamabad seeks greater access to landlocked Central Asian markets, aiming to position itself as a regional transit and trade hub linking South Asia with Central Asia.

Pakistan was the first Central Asian partner with which Uzbekistan signed a bilateral Transit Trade Agreement, along with a Preferential Trade Agreement in March 2022, covering 17 items, which became operational in 2023.

Pakistan’s finance ministry said last month that Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR was set to finalize an investment in the country’s oil and gas sector following high-level engagements at the World Economic Forum in Davos.