ISLAMABAD, October 7. /Dunyo IA/. An interview with Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, has been published in the popular Pakistani magazine “CEO Today”, focusing on the current state and prospects of the two countries’ strategic partnership, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

In the interview, diplomat outlined the key results of bilateral cooperation in recent years, as well as priority areas for further engagement.

Particular attention was devoted to the historical and cultural ties between Uzbekistan and Pakistan. The interview highlighted the significance of the legacy of Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur and the Mughals, whose monuments represent an important part of Pakistan’s cultural heritage.

“Political dialogue between Uzbekistan and Pakistan has intensified significantly in recent years”, Alisher Tukhtaev noted. He said a major milestone was the state visit of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Pakistan on February 5–6^th this year, which resulted in the signing of a Joint Declaration and around 30 bilateral documents.

Trade and economic cooperation was identified as one of the most dynamically developing areas. Over the past eight years, bilateral trade has increased nearly twelvefold, reaching US$475 million as of January 1^st, 2026. The two sides have set a target of increasing bilateral trade to US$2 billion.

The interview also examined prospects for cooperation in culture, tourism and education. Among the key factors driving its further development were the launch of direct air links, growing tourist exchanges, and the opening of Tashkent Street and Babur Park in Islamabad.

The development of educational ties was also highlighted, with more than 1,000 Pakistani citizens currently studying at higher education institutions in Uzbekistan.

Concluding the interview, Ambassador called on Pakistan’s business community to make greater use of Uzbekistan’s investment opportunities, while encouraging young people in both countries to advance new initiatives in knowledge, innovation and cooperation.