Uzbek FM praises Pakistan’s constructive role in mediation, discusses bilateral relations with Dar

Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov on Saturday appreciated Pakistan’s role in Middle East peace mediation efforts and discussed bilateral relations in a phone call with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the two “exchanged views on bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest.”

The ministry added that the foreign ministers discussed Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations and regional developments, and Saidov appreciated Pakistan’s “constructive role in mediating regional peace and security.”

“Both Dar and Saidov agreed to remain in close contact,” he said.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan have undertaken several initiatives aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. In February, the countries signed memorandums of understanding worth $3.4 billion, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Uzbek business companies to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s textile, pharmaceutical and other sectors.

Shehbaz, along with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, also announced that both sides had also signed a protocol aimed at achieving an “ambitious but easily achievable” goal of increasing bilateral trade to $2 billion in five years.

Read: Uzbekistan calls for expanding trade

Among the key pacts, an MoU was signed between the Medicines Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and the Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency of Uzbekistan to enhance cooperation in pharmaceuticals and regulatory functions.

To improve trade ties, Minister of Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov signed a Protocol on Expansion of the List of Goods under the Preferential Trade Agreement, along with an Agreement on the Establishment of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Interregional Forum, aimed at strengthening regional and business-to-business cooperation.

In the defense sector, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and Uzbek Defense Minister Shukhrat Khalmukhammedov signed an Action Plan for Defense Cooperation.

Foreign Minister Dar has received unprecedented international recognition for his diplomatic leadership as Pakistan positioned itself at the center of high-stakes mediation efforts during the escalating crisis between Iran, the United States and Israel.

Read more: Foreign Minister Dar emerges as top global diplomatic leader amid Middle East crisis

Senior officials and influential voices from more than ten countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United States, China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Egypt, have publicly acknowledged Dar’s role in facilitating ceasefire negotiations and promoting regional stability.

Last month, Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in advancing peace and security in the Middle East and Gulf region during a meeting with Dar.

Ambassador Zaidong conveyed China’s deep appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and security in the Middle East and Gulf region.

Foreign Minister Dar also spoke to European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas. Kallas praised Islamabad’s role in creating space for diplomacy, including facilitating the initial ceasefire between the United States and Iran, and expressed the European Union’s (EU) full support for Pakistan’s ongoing peace initiatives.