Islamabad, Federal Minister for Commerce, Mr. Jam Kamal Khan, has departed for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to lead the Pakistani delegation at the 9th Session of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation and participate in the 4th Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum.
The session, set to be co-chaired by Mr. Jam Kamal Khan and H.E. Mr. Laziz Kudratov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, will take place on November 4, 2024. This high-level commission seeks to deepen bilateral relations and strengthen trade, economic, and technical ties between the two nations.
As part of his comprehensive itinerary, Minister Jam Kamal Khan will engage in strategic bilateral meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Jamshed Khujaev, Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade (MIIT) Mr. Laziz Kudratov, and Minister of Road Transport Mr. Ilkhom Makhkamov. These discussions will be pivotal for advancing dialogue on key projects in trade, investment, and transport logistics.
Key Events and Forum Highlights
The minister’s visit will also include participation as a keynote speaker at the 4th Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum, which will take place on November 4, 2024, at the Intercontinental Hotel Tashkent. Mr. Jam Kamal Khan and Mr. Laziz Kudratov will address the forum, where experts from both countries will discuss strategies to enhance trade and investment relations.
A significant element of this event is the Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings, where 33 Pakistani businessmen representing 25 companies in sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, food, engineering, and logistics will meet their Uzbek counterparts. This engagement is aimed at fostering long-term partnerships and boosting bilateral trade.
Past Agreements and Trade Growth
The Pakistan-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), signed on March 3, 2022, and operational since March 2023, has already catalyzed significant growth in bilateral trade. Similarly, the Agreement on Transit Trade (AUPTT), effective from March 2022, has facilitated a notable rise in transit trade. The Business Forum is expected to further build on these advancements, enhancing the trade and transit volume between the two nations.
Cultural and Technological Engagements
Beyond business, Minister Jam Kamal Khan’s itinerary includes visits to Samarkand’s historic sites and a tour of Tashkent’s “Technopark” LLC, showcasing Uzbekistan’s strides in technological development.
Expected Outcomes
The outcomes of the 9th IGC session are anticipated to reinforce economic partnerships, support Uzbekistan’s WTO accession, and lay the groundwork for future collaborative growth. This meeting exemplifies Pakistan and Uzbekistan’s shared vision for sustainable and strategic progress, with follow-up developments set for the next session in Islamabad.
