Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (GNP): Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, currently in Mongolia for the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Programme, met with an Uzbek delegation led by Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Ilzat Kasimov.
Discussions centered on regional connectivity, investment, and mobilizing international financing, with particular focus on the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway project.
Iqbal said Pakistan and Uzbekistan need to move beyond political goodwill toward bankable projects with measurable economic results, describing the UAP Railway as a potentially transformative link connecting Central Asian markets to Pakistani ports.
He called for accelerating the project’s feasibility study, securing multilateral and bilateral financing, and developing a clear roadmap for implementation. He also proposed establishing a Pakistan-Uzbekistan Joint Financing Coordination Mechanism to jointly engage international financial institutions and development partners in support of priority regional initiatives.
The Minister said the UAP Railway should be developed as a comprehensive economic corridor linking railways, highways, logistics networks, ports, and industrial hubs. He further called for expanding investment-driven trade and joint ventures in sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, minerals, engineering, and IT.
Iqbal summarized the shared goal as connecting markets, mobilizing investment, developing projects, and delivering real economic benefits for both countries.
Also read: Standard Chartered Launches New Global Brand Campaign, ‘Move Ahead’
Both sides agreed on the importance of deepening economic cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and turning existing agreements into concrete projects backed by clear timelines and financing plans.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
