Uzbekistan Airways operated its inaugural flight non -stop towards Pakistan, receiving a warm welcome at Islamabad international airport on Saturday.
Uzbekistan Ambassador to Pakistan Alisher Tukhtaev, Pakistan Tourism Development Cooperation Managing Director Aftabur Rehman Rana, Islamabad Airport Manager Syed Aftab Ali Shah Gilani, Uzbekistan Airways Country Manager Bakhtiyor Muminov, Diplomats from Other Central Asian States and Other High Officials from Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), PTDC, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) was present on this occasion.
The Ouzbekistan Tukhtaev envoy said that the launch of the direct flight from Uzbekistan Airways would considerably strengthen economic and commercial ties between the two countries and reduce the distance between the inhabitants of the two countries.
He also added that this direct air link marks strategic progress in bilateral relations and aligns the wider objectives of central and southern connectivity initiatives.
PTDC director general, AFTAB, said this weekly flight between the two capitals, starting from today, marks a significant step in strengthening air connectivity between the two fraternal nations.
He praised the initiative as an important step in the progress of regional cooperation. He noted that direct flight responds to a long -standing request raised in various regional forums, such as ECO and SCO, to improve connectivity between Central Asia and South Asia.
“This new route deepens not only the bilateral links in several sectors, but will also play a central role in the stimulation of regional tourism, the promotion of personal contacts, the facilitation of business trips, educational exchange and the promotion of cultural cooperation,” he said.
Stressing the tourist potential, Rana stressed that the direct air link will considerably improve bidirectional tourist flows.
“For Pakistani travelers, the legendary cities of Silk Road of Uzbekistan – Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – are now more accessible than ever. Likewise, Uzbeks tourists can now explore the major land funds in Pakistan,” he added.
He also declared that the tourist exchanges between Pakistan and Uzbekistan have increased regularly in recent years, motivated by shared historical roots, a cultural affinity and a religious heritage.
The new air service offers a practical, profitable and reliable travel option for tourists, students and pilgrims looking for enriching cross-border experiences, he concluded.
Earlier this year, Uzbekistan announced its intention to launch a new direct flight route to Karachi in order to promote closer links between the two nations.
Ambassador Tukhtaev shared that Uzbekistan has implemented a sweet visa regime for Pakistani citizens in September 2023, facilitating commercial and tourist trips.
This initiative, associated with direct flights recently launched between Tashkent and Lahore, underlines the commitment of Uzbekistan to promote the connections of people to population and to promote mutual understanding.
Stressing the commercial potential, the ambassador noted that mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Pakistan has tripled in the past five years, going from $ 122 million in 2019 to $ 387 million in 2023.
He highlighted the unexploited opportunities for more in-depth collaboration, in particular in sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, leather and tanning, food processing and agro-industry.
The ambassador also congratulated the success of the exhibition in a single country “Made in Pakistan” held in Tashkent in June of last year, which provided an invaluable platform to entrepreneurs of the two nations to forge new trade and investment agreements.
Based on this momentum, he announced plans for an industrial exhibition “Made in Ouzbekistan” in Karachi this year, expressing the confidence that this would still strengthen economic ties.