During the recent visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday signed various agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), including the bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) for increased cooperation in the areas of trade, culture, tourism, connectivity, climate change and security.
During the visit a MoU between Pakistan’s Ministry of Railways and the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan was signed by Secretary/Chairman Pakistan Railways Habib ur Rehman Gilani and Uzbek Minister for Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov. The MoU was signed for the proposed 573km railway project which will link Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent through Afghanistan capital Kabul and Pakistan’s northern city of Peshawar.
While addressing the ceremony the Prime minister said that both sides had agreed to enhance connectivity via Afghanistan. “The connectivity projects will not only benefit the people of Pakistan and Uzbekistan but also Afghanistan who have suffered a lot during the last 40 years,” he added.
During the visit of the Uzbek President Uzbekistan and Pakistan also signed a MoU on cooperation in the field of environment and climate change. The MoU was signed by Special Assistant to the PM on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, and Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Investment and Foreign Trade Sardar Umurzakov.
