Islamabad (NNP) A delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Mr. Eldor Sobirjonovich Tulyakov, Executive Director of the Development Strategy Center (DSC), visited the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) to further deepen the growing partnership between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. Mr. Rovshan Alimov, Deputy Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, was also present at the meeting.
Welcoming the delegation, Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood highlighted Pakistan’s Vision Central Asia, a comprehensive framework guiding its engagement with the region through political and diplomatic cooperation, trade and investment, energy and connectivity, security and defence, and people-to-people exchanges. He noted that Uzbekistan’s reform-oriented development model and emphasis on regional connectivity strongly resonate with Pakistan’s own vision for integrated regional growth. Referring to tangible progress under the Pakistan–Uzbekistan Strategic Partnership, including the Transit Trade Agreement, expanding trade and energy cooperation, the Trans-Afghan Railway initiative, and growing business-to-business ties, he underlined the promising trajectory of bilateral relations. Ambassador Sohail Mahmood also emphasized the deep cultural, religious, and spiritual bonds between the two nations, recalling that 2026 will mark the 500th anniversary of the establishment of the Mughal Empire in the subcontinent by Zahir-ud-Din Babur, a native of Uzbekistan’s Ferghana Valley. He further briefed the delegation on ISSI’s mission and activities and underscored the importance of stronger think-tank and academic linkages.
In his remarks, Executive Director Tulyakov reaffirmed the enduring historical, cultural, and civilizational ties between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, describing them as a solid foundation for the steadily expanding scope of bilateral cooperation. He praised the strategic partnership between the two countries as a key driver for advancing cooperation across multiple domains and expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s offer of access to its seaports, terming it an important step toward enhancing Uzbekistan’s trade and transit connectivity. Highlighting Uzbekistan’s ongoing people-centric reforms and development strategy, Mr. Tulyakov proposed further broadening cooperation through improved air connectivity, enhanced academic and scholarly exchanges, and the promotion of tourism between the two countries.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Development Strategy Center of Uzbekistan and the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. The MoU aims to promote joint research projects, expert exchanges, collaborative publications, and sustained academic engagement, marking a significant step forward in strengthening intellectual and policy-oriented cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan.
