ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on Saturday returned home after concluding his official visit to Uzbekistan.
Gilani’s delegation included Minister for Privatization Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Food and Agriculture Israrullah Zehri and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar. During his visit, the PM held talks with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyayev and President Islam Karimov. An agreement on ease on goods’ transit and transportation, and a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on animal husbandry and veterinary sciences, were signed during the visit.
The two leaders discussed the enhancement of cooperation in counter-terrorism and ensuring strict control on drug trafficking. They also agreed on the”6+3″ approach to solve the problems in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan’s “6+3” proposal includes NATO because of its anti-terrorist operations in Afghanistan along with the “six” members Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, China and Iran and the “two,” the United States and Russia. Gilani’s visit to Uzbekistan was part of his interaction with Central Asian states in a bid to explore potential of wider cooperation in diverse fields. He has recently visited Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Former Pakistani Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Nazar Abbas has said that Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s visit to Uzbekistan is significant in promoting cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy and against terrorism, adding that Pakistan could benefit from Gwadar port which will allow access to sea to the landlocked Central Asian states.
