Uzbekistan interested to invest in Gawadar, PM’s aide

Islamabad: Uzbekistan is taking interest in investing in Gawadar to boost business to other part of the region, a key aide of Prime Minister Imran Khan said.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood said that Uzbekistan had requested Pakistan to acquire a piece of land to establish warehouse in Gawadar – a hub of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

“As many as hundred businessmen are also visiting Uzbekistan to explore market of Pakistani products,” he said in an interview with a Pakistani television channel.

“Pakistani food items had potential to catch market in Uzbekistan. A Transit Trade Agreement would help enhance business ties between the two countries,” he added.

To another question about Afghanistan, he said “we hoped that situation in Afghan region would be better in near future.”

About incentives to businessmen, he said incentives would be given to industrial sectors for promoting Pakistani products to Central Asian States.

Dawood later left for Tashkent (Uzbekistan) on Tuesday, accompanied by officials of the government and a large business delegation.

He will attend the 6th Session of Pakistan-Uzbekistan Joint Ministerial Commission to be held on July 14, followed by the Pakistan-Uzbekistan “Silk Route Reconnect” Business forum to be held on July 15-16.

A bilateral transit trade agreement will also be signed during the visit, said the Ministry of Commerce.

As part of MoC’s “Silk Route Reconnect Policy,” Pakistan will provide Uzbekistan access to our seaports and beyond and Pakistan will get access to the Central Asian Republics (CARs) and beyond.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will also leave for an official visit to Uzbekistan on July 15. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is also expected to arrive in the Uzbek capital from Tajikistan.

During his visit to Uzbekistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan will jointly inaugurate the session of the CASA Conference with the President of Uzbekistan.

On this occasion, preferential trade agreement between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, bilateral cooperation in other areas including transit trade, customs, banking, trade and investment, transport and other Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements will be signed.

In addition, it has been agreed to launch flight operations between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. Regular flights with Pakistan are expected to be launched from August 2021. Direct flights from Uzbekistan to Pakistan are expected to begin.