THE most recent visits of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Pakistan have significantly enhanced the scope, strategic importance and expansion of bilateral and trilateral partnerships among these countries, geared towards greater trans-regional connectivity, socio-economic integration, qualitative industrialization and digitalization. These engagements also emphasize the consolidation of economic security, banking and financial cooperation as well as meaningful military ties essential for regional peace, stability and harmony. Fixing bilateral trade at up to $2 billion appears achievable through extended economic cooperation, coordinated industrial collaboration and, importantly, the inclusion of the private sector as a value addition in the coming years.

During President Mirziyoyev’s visit, Uzbekistan and Pakistan signed 28 agreements and memoranda of understanding covering diverse areas, including an action plan for defence cooperation, ecology, climate change and disaster risk reduction, agriculture, sanitary protocols for fruit exports, mining and geosciences, transfer of sentenced persons and cooperation in combating drug trafficking. These agreements are expected to strengthen bilateral trade volumes, expand business activities, enhance investment opportunities and improve the prospects for joint ventures between the two countries.

Similarly, Kazakhstan and Pakistan signed 37 MoUs during President Tokayev’s visit and set a target of increasing bilateral trade to $1 billion within a year. These agreements span petroleum, mining and geosciences, maritime affairs, customs, railways, agriculture, artificial intelligence and digital development, health, education, science and technology, news exchange and........

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