Pakistan, Uzbekistan set to sign five-year economic roadmap to deepen trade ties

• Uzbek Deputy PM Jamshid Khodjayev to visit Islamabad on July 20-21 for high-level economic talks

• Roadmap aims to accelerate trade, investment, connectivity and broader economic cooperation

• More than 100 Uzbek firms to join B2B forum as both sides seek to boost private-sector partnerships

• Pakistan, Uzbekistan targeting $2bn bilateral trade within five years, up from nearly $450m in 2025

 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Uzbekistan are expected to further deepen their growing economic partnership next week with the signing of a five-year roadmap for trade and economic cooperation, as Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev is set to visit Islamabad on July 20-21 for talks aimed at boosting bilateral trade, investment and regional connectivity, according to the Ministry of Information.

Deputy Prime Minister Khodjayev's visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to bilateral economic and commercial relations, with both sides seeking to expand cooperation across a range of key sectors.

In preparation for the visit, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review proposals for enhancing trade corridors, improving road and rail connectivity, and strengthening logistics infrastructure to ensure faster and more cost-effective movement of goods between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, the minister expressed optimism that the Five-Year Roadmap for Trade and Economic Cooperation would be signed during the Uzbek deputy prime minister's visit.

"He (Cheema) expressed confidence that the Five-Year Roadmap for Trade and Economic Cooperation would be signed during the visit, providing a comprehensive framework to expand bilateral trade, investment, connectivity, and economic collaboration in the years ahead," the Ministry of Information said in a statement.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have steadily strengthened their economic engagement in recent years, with Islamabad positioning itself as a regional transit hub by providing landlocked Central Asian states with greater access to international markets.

Uzbekistan became the first Central Asian country to sign a bilateral Transit Trade Agreement with Pakistan in 2021, followed by a Preferential Trade Agreement in March 2022, covering 17 items, which became operational in 2023.

The two countries have also set ambitious targets for expanding bilateral commerce. During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in February, the two leaders encouraged business communities on both sides to work towards achieving $2 billion in bilateral trade within the next five years, up from an annual trade volume of nearly $450 million in 2025.

Officials informed the meeting that a Business-to-Business (B2B) Forum would be held during Khodjayev's visit, bringing together leading representatives of the private sector from both countries to explore new avenues for commercial cooperation.

According to the Ministry of Information, more than 100 Uzbek companies are expected to participate in the forum, reflecting the growing interest of Uzbek businesses in investment, trade and joint venture opportunities in Pakistan.

"The meeting noted that agriculture, pharmaceuticals, industry, transport and logistics, and other priority sectors will be at the center of investment and commercial discussions, with both governments committed to facilitating stronger public-private partnerships and expanding economic cooperation," the ministry said.

The upcoming visit is expected to reinforce Pakistan and Uzbekistan's shared commitment to expanding regional trade, improving connectivity and translating growing political goodwill into stronger economic and investment ties.