Pakistan, Uzbekistan to Deepen Cooperation in Tourism Sector
APP
Islamabad: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan, on Friday held a meeting with Uzbekistan’s Minister for Tourism, Umid Shadiev, to explore ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector.
The meeting, also attended by Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, focused on the vast potential for collaboration in tourism, cultural exchange, and heritage preservation.
Haroon Akhtar affirmed Pakistan’s readiness to partner with Uzbekistan in boosting tourism ties. He highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision for landmark projects in tourism, heritage conservation, and enhanced people-to-people exchanges.
“The time has come to look towards Central Asia, which holds immense opportunities for economic and cultural development,” he noted.
Uzbek Tourism Minister Umid Shadiev lauded the growing bilateral relations and recalled that several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) had already been signed between the two countries. He emphasized the need to encourage the hardworking citizens of both nations through mutual collaboration.
Haroon Akhtar stressed the role of tourism in increasing GDP and exports, announcing that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), under the Prime Minister’s directives, will soon begin international flights to Uzbekistan. He added that private airlines would also be engaged to further boost trade and tourism links.
Efforts are underway to ease visa processes and improve travel-related services to facilitate people-to-people connectivity. Haroon Akhtar also shared his personal affinity with Central Asia, stating that his forefathers originated from the region.
He underscored that the time is ripe for enhanced regional connectivity, noting that Pakistan is home to countless tourism-worthy destinations. While acknowledging the challenges posed by climate change, he assured that the government is taking proactive steps to address them.
