ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand on Thursday.
During the meeting they discussed bilateral relations and matters of mutual interests.
Earlier, the prime minister arrived here on a two-day visit to attend the summit, along with a high level delegation including the members of the federal cabinet.
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday underscored the significance of enhancing bilateral political ties and fast-tracking trade and economic cooperation by fully operationalising Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (UPTTA) and Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
The prime minister expressed these views during a bilateral meeting with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev held here on the sidelines of the annual Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The two leaders exchanged views on Pakistan-Uzbekistan relations, and regional and international issues.
The wide-ranging talks covered bilateral cooperation, with a special focus on trade and economic relations, and regional connectivity through rail, road and seaports.
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Shehbaz Sharif thanked President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his sympathies and condolences on sending humanitarian aid to the flood affected people.
He highlighted the devastation caused by the climate induced floods in Pakistan in terms of loss of human lives and damage to crops, livestock, housing and critical infrastructure.
The premier underlined the need for closer defence and security cooperation, and further increasing collaboration in the fields of education, culture and tourism.
He emphasised that liberalised Visa Regime would encourage business community of both countries to boost bilateral trade and investment.
The PM reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the timely completion of Trans-Afghan Railway project and expressed satisfaction at the successful completion of field expedition inside Afghanistan by the technical teams from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
Once completed, this project would effectively link the Central Asian countries with the world through the seaports of Karachi and Gwadar, he added.
The two leaders agreed to early convening of the Inter-Governmental Commission to formulate specific proposals and projects to further deepen and broaden Pakistan-Uzbekistan cooperation across the entire spectrum.
