ISLAMABAD: Six weeks On-Campus Internship Program for the Under-Grad Students of Bahria University is being organized by Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS), Islamabad.
His Excellency Aybek Arif Usmanov, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Pakistan discussed Regional Connectivity between Central Asia and South Asia and the future of Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
The lecture commenced with the video speech of His Excellency President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev that he delivered at the International Conference on “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity, Challenges and Opportunities”.
His Excellency Aybek Arif Usmanov, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Pakistan expressed gratitude to Dr. Adam Saud, Dean, Bahria University, Islamabad, Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, CGSS and the interns. He praised the CGSS’s initiative of organizing this on campus internship program.
H.E Aybek Arif Usmanov gave brief description on creation of Uzbekistan. He stated that the roots of Islam belongs to Uzbekistan and Islam came from Uzbekistan. Pakistan and Uzbekistan have historical ties and they are linked to each other. He praised the initiatives of Prime Minister of Pakistan regarding Regional Connectivity among Central Asia and South Asia. He also discussed some challenges that can come in the way of connectivity between two regions.
H.E Aybek Arif Usmanov gave a detailed overview of Uzbekistan’s President Speech presented at the International Conference on the Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity, Challenges and Opportunities.
His Excellency stated that the President’s speech has the message that the fate and future of Central and South Asian countries depends on how the younger generation grows, what education they get, how they will be brought up, and what environment we will create for them.
H.E Aybek Arif Usmanov emphasized that Uzbekistan is a reliable, stable and predictable partner aimed at developing the constructive and manually beneficial cooperation. He discussed how Regional Integration will help in the future by reducing the costs of producers and promotion of goods that are competitive in foreign markets. In addition when the Central Asian countries carry out trade operations with the region, they have the shortest route to deliver goods which gives them advantage in saving the transport costs.He discussed that the interests of the Central Asian countries also meet the joint creation of international transport corridors and International transport infrastructure in the region which will help to reduce transport costs in delivering of exports from Central Asia to world markets.
H.E Aybek Arif Usmanov discussed the prospects for economic cooperation with Central and South Asian countries, he stated that main trading partners of Central Asia countries among the South Asian Countries are Afghanistan and Pakistan. The most active trade and economic cooperation of the Central Asian countries is with Afghanistan, due to the geographical proximity as well as the great dependence of the Afghan domestic market on imports of food and industrial products.
He mentioned that Pakistan and Uzbekistan are catalysts for connectivity between Central and South Asia. He appreciated the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan that are growing day by day.
Mr. Jasur Saidahmedov, 2nd Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan stated that in order to continue to effectively expand Pak-Uzbek bilateral economic and cultural cooperation, we developed strategy for intra-provincial partnership. That means direct cooperation between respective territories, provinces of two states without the involvement of central or federal government. He also stated that Uzbekistan’s Government has created favorable and attractive investment climate for the business community of Pakistan. As the result of this, around 166 joint venture companies with Pakistan are successfully operation in Uzbekistan.
Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Execuitve Director CGSS highlighted the significance of the Central & South Asia Connectivity presented by H.E Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He encouraged the students to study the prospects of this initiative for Pakistan and for the world. He also enlightened the students about the culture of Uzbekistan and the shared history with Pakistan. Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram was of the view that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has presented a revolutionary idea that will do wonders for our region and it’s future. The lecture was followed by an interactive session which was moderated by Mr. Muhammad Sheraz Hamid, student of 8th semester, Bahria University, Islamabad.
