ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed a protocol to enhance cooperation in the fields of defense and security, said Pakistan’s National Security Division in a statement on Tuesday night.

The Protocol on the Establishment of Joint Security Commission was signed during a three-day visit of Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Lt. Gen. Victor Makhmudov, to Islamabad on the invitation of Pakistan’s National Security Adviser, Dr. Moeed Yusuf.

The visiting Uzbek dignitary also held meetings with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Prime Minster Imran Khan.

During the interaction between Makmudov and Pakistan’s national security adviser, the two sides “discussed various aspects of the newly formed joint commission and the way forward for making the commission effective and mutually beneficial,” said the official statement.

“The protocol covers wide-ranging security related matters of mutual interest and establishes coordination mechanism between Pakistan’s National Security Division and the Security Council of Uzbekistan under their respective heads,” it added.

Prime Minister Khan highlighted the importance of enhanced trade and economic linkages in his meeting with the Uzbek official and reiterated that his country wanted greater regional connectivity.

“The Prime Minister emphasized high-level interaction to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas including economic, trade, investment, energy, security and education sectors,” the PM Office said in a statement.

Khan visited Uzbekistan in July to attend the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Silk Route Reconnect Business Forum and signed a significant transit agreement which allowed Tashkent to utilize Pakistani seaports for much of its trade.

Prior to that, the first international road transport vehicle carrying goods from Uzbekistan successfully entered Pakistan via Afghanistan in May.