Islamabad, 8 October 2021 (GNP/ TDI): Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Abybek Arif Usmanov, met Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain. The meeting took place on 7 October; Senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting attended the meeting.
The meeting boiled down to the discussion on bilateral relations and strengthening cultural linkages between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
Speaking on the occasion, the Information Minister said both countries share commonalities in culture and traditions. The two countries have a rich and glorious history of Sufism. This develops spiritual connections between the people. He added Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony can play a crucial role in further strengthening this relationship.
During the meeting, both sides agreed on producing joint movies on the lives of the great Mughal Emperor, Zaheer ud Din Babar, and legendary poet, Assad Ullah Ghalib. The prospects of such projects were discussed during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Uzbekistan. Both sides agreed to constitute an expert group to execute these projects.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also announced that Pakistan will provide dramas to Uzbekistan. The country can telecast them in the Uzbek language. This will help the people of two countries to know about each other’s culture. He informed the ambassador that a private TV channel has already provided two dramas to Uzbekistan.
The Information Minister also proposed to telecast documentaries of historical Uzbek sites of Samarkand and Bukhara on Pakistan Television.
- Rail Track between Karachi and Tashkent:
Furthermore, the two officials also discussed the prospects of the development of a rail track between Karachi and Tashkent. The start of a truck service from Pakistan to Central Asia also came under consideration. It was argued that peace and stability in the region is a critical factor for materializing these projects.
In addition, ambassador Abybek Arif appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for regional peace and stability. He also acclaimed Pakistan’s role in Afghanistan, especially its assistance in evacuation operations. He also asked the Information Minister to share historical pictures from archives of the Press Information Department for use in his country.
Pakistan and Uzbekistan share cordial diplomatic relations based on mutual trust and solidarity. Both sides expressed resolves to further augment relations between the two countries at all levels.