PM Shehbaz meets Uzbek president at SCO summit

ASTANA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Uzbek President Shaukat Mirziyoyev during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties across various sectors including trade, defense, culture, and public relations.

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The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding multilateral relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan. They talked about Uzbekistan’s strategic position as a transit point for bettering trade among countries in the region with Pakistan.

A key agenda item discussed on the sidelines of the SCO summit was the proposal to connect Karachi Port in Pakistan with Termez in Uzbekistan to facilitate increased trade volumes between the two countries. This will help streamline logistics and bolster economic cooperation through proper transportation routes.

The Pakistan Prime Minister and Uzbek President also emphasized the importance of completing the Pakistan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan railway project promptly. The project aims to connect the three countries, which are separated by vast steppes and challenging terrain.

The railway will help promote economic integration particularly for Afghanistan. It will also facilitate in smoother movement of goods and passengers across the region.

Shehbaz expressed Pakistan’s eagerness to increase cooperation with Uzbekistan across various sectors besides trade. Mirziyoyev talked about importance of leveraging the SCO platform to promote peace, stability, and economic development in the region.

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The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) began as the Shanghai Five in 1996 with China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. It focused on border security and political stability issues.

Uzbekistan joined in 2001, while India and Pakistan entered it in 2017. Iran joined the summit very recently in 2023.

The summit is aimed at fostering cooperation among its member states in political, economic, and security realms. It has a [articular focus on combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism. The summit is focused on promoting economic development and cultural exchanges across Eurasia.

The organisation covers about 80 per cent of Eurasia’s landmass and about 40 per cent of the world’s population. It accounts for approximately 20 per cent of global GDP.

It engages with observers such as Belarus and Mongolia and holds dialogue partnerships with countries such as Armenia and Egypt. The SCO also hosts guest attendees from ASEAN, CIS, Turkmenistan, and the United Nations.

Chinese and Russian serve as official languages of the SCO. It is currently led by Secretary-General Zhang Ming with support from deputy secretaries-general from member states.