ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State Meeting in Bishkek as he arrived for a three-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, where he is due to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
According to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Pakistan Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar were also present.
The prime minister conveyed "warm felicitations" to President Mirziyoyev and the people of Uzbekistan on the 35th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence.
Recalling President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Pakistan in February 2026, the prime minister noted that the visit and the inaugural meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council had imparted fresh momentum to the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership.
"The Prime Minister stressed the importance of timely implementation of decisions taken at the leadership level, particularly in trade, investment, connectivity and economic cooperation," said the statement.
He reiterated the shared objective of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion by 2029 and called for effective implementation of the expanded Preferential Trade Agreement, greater business-to-business engagement and promotion of mutually beneficial joint ventures, it added.
Highlighting regional connectivity as a shared strategic priority, the prime minister underscored the transformative potential of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway for linking Central and South Asia and facilitating Uzbekistan’s access to Pakistan’s seaports.
He emphasized early progress on the Joint Feasibility Study and greater utilization of existing multimodal transport corridors. The prime minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate Uzbek trade through its ports and transport infrastructure.
The two sides discussed further strengthening cooperation in industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, digital technologies, education, culture, defense and security.
The prime minister also supported enhanced air connectivity, including progress towards direct Tashkent-Karachi flights.
Prime Minister Shehbaz appreciated Uzbekistan’s support for Pakistan’s forthcoming chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State and expressed the desire to work closely with Uzbekistan on regional security, connectivity, trade and sustainable development.
He also emphasized continued cooperation within ECO and other multilateral forums.
The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening its Strategic Partnership with Uzbekistan and translating the excellent political relationship into tangible economic benefits for the peoples of both countries.
Later in the evening, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar travelled to Bishkek alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan with both scheduled to participate in the SCO engagements alongside PM Sharif and Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
FM Dar was received by Kyrgyzstan Deputy Foreign Minister Meder Abakirov, and senior officials of the from Kyrgyz ministries, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Meeting with Iranian president
Earlier on the same day, PM Sharif met with the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit, according to a statement by the prime minister's office.
"President Pezeshkian personally received Prime Minister Sharif upon his arrival for the bilateral meeting," the statement said.
The Pakistani prime minister is scheduled to address the SCO summit and present Pakistan’s position on regional and global issues. He will also attend the SCO Plus Summit and the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games as a special guest.
PM Sharif is also due to hold bilateral meetings with leaders attending the SCO meeting, with discussions to focus on bilateral relations, trade and investment, regional cooperation and other matters of mutual interest.
He is scheduled to meet Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov for talks on bilateral relations between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The discussions will cover trade and investment, energy, regional ties, education, tourism and the promotion of people-to-people contacts.