America News Agency

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and discussed the strategic partnership between the two countries, trade targets and regional transport projects.

Referring to the content of the meeting and Uzbekistan's Independence Day, Sharif said, "I had a very productive meeting with my dear brother President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Bishkek. I conveyed my warmest congratulations to him and the brotherly people of Uzbekistan on the occasion of their 35th Independence Day."

Highlighting bilateral trade goals, Sharif said, "We reviewed the strong momentum in our Strategic Partnership and agreed to accelerate the implementation of decisions in the areas of trade, investment and connectivity, including our shared goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to 2 billion US dollars by 2029."

Emphasizing the importance of the regional railway project, Sharif concluded, "Reaffirming regional connectivity as a shared priority, I highlighted the potential of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway to connect Central and South Asia and facilitate Uzbekistan's access to Pakistan's seaports."