Islamabad, May 20, 2026: A virtual meeting of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Group was held at Parliament House on Tuesday, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to enhancing bilateral parliamentary, economic, cultural, and strategic cooperation.
The meeting was convened from the Pakistani side by Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan, while the Uzbek delegation participated via video link under the convenorship of Kutbiddin Burkhanov.
Among those attending the meeting were Husna Bano and Misbah Khar, who also serves as Secretary of Parliamentary Friendship Groups. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also present.
During the discussion, the Uzbek side highlighted the deep-rooted historical, cultural, religious, and social ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Senator Kutbiddin Burkhanov appreciated the recent visit of Misbah Khar to Uzbekistan and emphasized the shared commitment of both countries to promoting women’s participation in politics and public life.
Misbah Khar thanked the Uzbek side for its hospitality, describing Uzbekistan as a “second home,” and invited the Uzbek delegation to visit Pakistan. She also proposed signing a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on parliamentary cooperation to further institutionalize bilateral engagement.
Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan underscored the vast potential for expanding cooperation in trade, investment, defence, security, culture, and regional connectivity. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts to promote regional stability and strengthen economic collaboration.
Highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to regional connectivity, Senator Afnan Ullah emphasized the importance of the Trans-Afghan Railway Project in linking Central Asia with South Asia, saying the initiative could open new avenues for trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
The senator also noted the growing trade volume between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and reiterated the shared goal of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion annually. He identified pharmaceuticals, agriculture, textiles, tourism, defence production, education, industrial development, research, and faculty exchange programmes as key sectors for enhanced cooperation.
Discussing regional security, Senator Afnan Ullah stressed that lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan remain essential for the prosperity of both countries and the broader region. He called for stronger strategic cooperation in counterterrorism, defence collaboration, cultural development, and parliamentary oversight of bilateral initiatives.
Both sides agreed to further strengthen parliamentary ties through regular exchanges, joint initiatives, and institutional cooperation. They also agreed to formulate a comprehensive joint roadmap to expand collaboration in areas such as disaster management, education, heritage preservation, and capacity-building initiatives.
The participants particularly emphasized cooperation in preserving Mughal heritage and promoting cultural diplomacy through closer collaboration between educational and cultural institutions. Both sides also agreed to enhance parliamentary oversight for the effective implementation of high-level agreements between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
The Uzbek side invited the Pakistani delegation to participate in the upcoming IPU Young Parliamentarians Conference, scheduled to be held in Bukhara later this year.
The meeting was described as a constructive and forward-looking engagement reflecting the shared commitment of Pakistan and Uzbekistan to deepen bilateral relations, parliamentary diplomacy, regional peace, and sustainable development.
