Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Furqat Sidikov said his country would like to see a trilateral trade commission comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan established in order to promote trade, logistics and investment, according to Pakistan’s The Nation.
Already, Uzbekistan has extended its railway line up to Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province in Afghanistan and it wants to extend the same line through to Torkham crossing, along the Durand Line, to facilitate trade with Pakistan, Sidikov said.
Addressing the business community during his visit to Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) in Pakistan on Saturday, Sidikov said that Uzbekistan was running direct flights between Lahore and Tashkent twice a week and flights between Islamabad-Tashkent and Karachi-Tashkent would also be arranged soon.
Speaking at the occasion, Malik Shahid Saleem, RCCI’s president, said that Central Asia was a big market and Pakistan should explore new trade avenues in the region. He said the time was now right for increased trade between Pakistan and Central Asian countries.
He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative had created great business prospects in Pakistan and Uzbek investors should explore Pakistan for joint venture and investment opportunities. The CPEC offers great regional connectivity and integration from South Asia, Central Asian countries and beyond, he added.
We consider Uzbekistan as a gateway for Pakistan to access Central Asian markets and both countries should focus on developing strong business linkages between private sectors to explore all untapped areas of business collaboration, he said.
