Pakistan–Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership in Focus at High-Level Expert Conference
Islamabad, 2026 — The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad, in collaboration with the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) under the President of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, convened the 2026 Expert Online Conference titled “Pakistan and Uzbekistan: Strategic Partnership, Connectivity, and Sustainable Development in a Changing World.” The conference brought together senior policymakers, diplomats, and leading experts from both countries to strengthen dialogue and cooperation ahead of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s historic visit to Pakistan in early February 2026.The conference opened with keynote remarks by Dr. Eldor Aripov, Director ISRS; Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President IRS; Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan; and Ambassador Ahmed Farooq, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan.
The speakers emphasized a shared vision for deepening bilateral cooperation across strategic affairs, economic engagement, regional connectivity, transport corridors, and human capital development.Thematic sessions featured in-depth expert analyses by Mr. Akram Umarov, Director of Regional Cooperation at the Uzbekistan Institute for Strategic Studies; Mr. Muhammad Amir Rana, Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies; Ms. Nodira Abdunazarova, Senior Researcher at the Center for International Relations, Uzbekistan; and Mr. Haroon Sharif, former Secretary of Pakistan’s Board of Investment. Discussions focused on evolving regional security dynamics, expanding trade and investment ties, and unlocking the economic potential of enhanced connectivity.Further highlighting the long-term foundations of the bilateral partnership, Mr. Quvonchbek Mahmudov, Researcher at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, and Dr. Amina Khan, Director of the Center of Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, underscored the importance of cooperation in education, skills development, technology, and academic exchanges as key drivers of sustainable Pakistan–Uzbekistan relations.The conference was organized by Mr. Hamzah Rifaat, Head of the Central Asia Program for Regional Cooperation and Connectivity at the Institute of Regional Studies, reaffirming the growing momentum in Pakistan–Uzbekistan strategic engagement and people-to-people cooperation.
