FAISALABAD – Uzbekistan Ambassador Mr. Furqat A. Siddiqov has said thatUzbekistan, Tajikistan, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan were considering ajoint proposal to open land route through Afghanistanby offering logistic, trade and transit facilities to the exporters of thisregion.He further said that road distance between Pakistan andUzbekistan was only 700 miles through which it could also have access tothe other landlocked Central Asian states inaddition to making exports to the European Union countries.
He said that efforts in this connection were underway whichwould yield positive results very soon.
He said on that direct and basic hurdles had been removed to promotebilateral trade between Pakistan and UzbekistanSteps are underway to promote banking and air services in addition toensuring safe transit of trade consignmentsthrough Afghanistan.Addressing the members of the business community atFaisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, he said thatUzbekistan was an historic centre of Islamic heritage and culture.”I have come here from the land of ‘Imam Bokhari’ with a message of peaceand love for Pakistani brethren,” he said.Regarding trade, he said that it had recorded a three times growth ascompared to last year. He said that Uzbekistan Air was managing weeklyflight between Lahore and Tashkentwhile steps were being taken to start direct flights betweenKarachi and Tashkent.About banking channels, he said that a branch of National Bank of Pakistanwas already operatingin Tashkent while a Swiss bank was also expected to establishits branch to provide international banking facilities.To a question, he said that Uzbek government was alsocontemplating to start Islamic banking and in this connectionsteps were underway.He further said that Uzbekistan was importing sugar,pharmaceutical and potato from Pakistan while it could exportagriculture machinery to Pakistan.The Uzbek Ambassador said that Pakistan and Uzbekistanwere cotton producing countries and his objective to visit Faisalabad wasto encourage cooperation in textile sector.He said that many Pakistani companies were already doing business withUzbekistan while there were huge opportunities to launch joint ventures inthis specific field.
In this connection, Uzbekistan had taken bold decisions by establishingCotton technical centres which could equally benefit both the countries.He also mentioned the facilities extended to the Pakistani investors andtold that credit facility would also be provided to the foreign investors.Regarding trade through road, he said that Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Russia,Afghanistan and Pakistan were considering a joint proposal to open landroute through Afghanistanby offering logistic, trade and transit facilities to the exporters of thisregion.He further said that road distance between Pakistan andUzbekistan was only 700 miles through which it could also have access tothe other landlocked Central Asian states inaddition to making exports to the European Union countries.
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He said that efforts in this connection were underway whichwould yield positive results very soon.
