Pakistan and Uzbekistan have great potential for developing mutual trade
According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Uzbekistan to Pakistan Alisher Tukhtayev noted that there is great potential for increasing trade and investment between the two countries through the creation of joint ventures, in particular for the development of the textile industry.
During his visit to the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), Uzbekistan’s Ambassador invited representatives of the country’s textile companies to study the demand for high-quality products in Uzbekistan. He noted that Uzbekistan’s cheap energy and rich cotton reserves create attractive opportunities for Pakistani investors to develop trade and investment in the Uzbekistan market.
The Ambassador recalled that the two countries have signed several memoranda of understanding and agreements aimed at facilitating market access. Thanks to direct flights, the flight time was reduced by 90 minutes. Negotiations on a trilateral transit trade agreement involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan have entered a crucial phase. After reaching an agreement, trade flows will accelerate even more. Uzbekistan’s shopping malls have been opened in Karachi and Lahore. The next such center will be opened in Islamabad.
As A. Tukhtayev noted, Pakistan and Uzbekistan are “fraternal countries, not competitors”, so it is necessary to share resources, knowledge, and experience for mutual benefit. He invited the APTMA delegation to visit Uzbekistan, take part in exhibitions and conferences, and added that other trade delegations will visit this fraternal country in the coming months.
APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad highlighted several existing problems in mutual trade, including the lack of official banking channels, delays in signing the free trade agreement, language barriers in labeling, issues with the Afghan transit route, and the slow construction pace of the Trans-Afghan Railway. He emphasized the importance of strengthening banking relations, concluding a free trade agreement as soon as possible, and establishing a regular exchange of trade delegations to realize the existing potential fully.
Another participant of the meeting, Asad Shafi, informed the delegation about the possibilities of Pakistan’s textile industry, noting that, despite centuries-old ties, the current volume of bilateral trade is only $125 million. He emphasized that his country aims to boost textile exports to $50 billion under the Sewing Revolution project and urged Uzbekistan to cooperate actively in this endeavor.
Muharrama Pirmatova, UzA
“Watan” Newspaper: Journey to Uzbekistan offers an opportunity to rediscover knowledge once known only through historical sources
Reputable Saudi newspaper “Watan” has published a comprehensive article titled “What we read in books we live in Uzbekistan”, reports Dunyo IA.
Publication, intended for readers across the Arab world, highlights the place of Uzbekistan’s rich Islamic civilizational and cultural heritage in the history and contemporary development of Central Asia.
As the author notes, in an era of globalization and digital technologies, when it is becoming increasingly difficult to experience genuine wonder and appreciate true uniqueness, a journey to Uzbekistan offers an opportunity to rediscover knowledge once known only through historical sources - and to see it come to life.
“In Uzbekistan, you do not simply recall historical knowledge; you experience a unique journey through time between the past and the future. In the ancient cities of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, names familiar from history books - Mawarannahr, Shash, the Fergana Valley, Jayhun, and Sayhun - take shape in magnificent architectural monuments and a living culture”, the author writes.
Publication also highlights the conference organized in Tashkent by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) jointly with the Center of Islamic Civilization, which houses the Uthman Mushaf. It also speaks highly of the architectural beauty of the Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Al-Maturidi complexes in Samarkand, the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda ensembles, as well as the mausoleums of Qutham ibn Abbas and Amir Temur.
The author particularly emphasizes the contribution to world science made by such eminent scholars as Imam Al-Bukhari, Muhammad Al-Khwarizmi, the founder of mathematics and astronomy, and Imam At-Tirmidhi. The article also highlights the historical significance of the cities of the Fergana Valley - Andijan, Namangan, Margilan and Kokand and their centuries-old cultural and scholarly ties with the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic world.
In conclusion, the author notes that the sincere greeting extended by young people of Uzbekistan - students and volunteers to the guests in Arabic, “Welcome, guests of Imam Al-Bukhari!”, made a particularly profound impression on the Saudi delegation.
