“Afghan conflict is one factor hindering development of trade relations with Uzbekistan” - Pakistani National Assembly Speaker

Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Furkat Sidikov met with the Speaker of the National Assembly of IRP Asad Qaiser in Islamabad, the press service of the MFA reports.

During the meeting, the prospects for expanding Uzbek-Pakistani cooperation, primarily in the issues of enhancing inter-parliamentary relations, were discussed.

The speaker was informed in detail about the full-scale socio-economic transformations being carried out in Uzbekistan, primarily within the framework of the implementation of “Action Strategy on five priority areas of development of Uzbekistan for 2017-2021”, and within the program “Year of active investments and social development”.

Asad Qaiser, noting with satisfaction the dynamic growth of commodity turnover between our countries in 2018, agreed that there is still a huge potential for increasing bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. In this issue, as was emphasized, it is necessary to strengthen the role and practical participation of parliamentarians of the two countries in improving the legal framework of cooperation.

According to the Speaker, one of the factors hindering the further expansion of trade and economic relations of Pakistan with Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole, is the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, which does not allow to establish direct transport links. In this context, Asad Qaiser praised the initiatives and efforts of the President of Uzbekistan to achieve sustainable peace in Afghanistan.

At the meeting, other issues of Uzbek-Pakistani relations were also considered.