The Center for Economic Research and Reform (CEIR) has conducted an analysis of trade and economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan over the past 9 years.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has noticeably intensified its cooperation not only with traditional trade and economic partners, but also with countries that play a key role in Uzbekistan's implementation of major infrastructure projects related to access to new export markets.
Among such countries, Pakistan occupies a special place – the second most populous country in South Asia with great potential for economic development, with the participation of which Uzbekistan plans to implement an ambitious project to build the trans-Afghan railway route.
In March 2022, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan paid an official visit to Pakistan, during which they confirmed their intentions to further develop strategic partnership, as well as expand cooperation in trade, economic and humanitarian spheres.
In February 2025, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif paid an official visit to Uzbekistan, during which mechanisms for expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, industry and transport were discussed, and an agreement was reached to establish a Supreme Council for Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
The most-favored-nation regime is in effect in mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, and a Preferential trade Agreement and a Transit trade agreement have been signed.
Dynamics of bilateral trade
During the period 2017-2025, the volume of mutual trade between the two countries increased 12.2 times and by the end of 2025 amounted to $445.9 million, exports to Pakistan increased 32 times and reached $325 million, and imports from Pakistan increased 4.6 times and amounted to $120.9 million.
As a result of the growth in Uzbekistan's exports, the foreign trade balance with Pakistan has turned positive since 2019.
Uzbekistan's exports to Pakistan in 2025 consisted of the following commodity items: food products (dried legumes, peanuts) – $260.2 million (80%), industrial goods (yarn) – $21.2 million (6.5%), non–food raw materials - $13.2 million (4.1%), as well as services (mainly transportation) – $30.1 million (9.3%).
In 2025, the main share of imports from Pakistan was taken by the following commodity items: food products (meat, potatoes, citrus fruits) – $56.2 million (46.5%), chemical products (medicines, detergents) – $45.3 million (37.5%), industrial goods – $6.4 million (5.3%), as well as services – $4 million (3.3%).
Investment cooperation
As of January 1, 2026, 208 enterprises with the participation of Pakistani capital are operating in Uzbekistan, including 18 joint ventures and 190 enterprises with 100% Pakistani capital.
The total volume of direct investments and loans from Pakistan to the economy of Uzbekistan in 2017-2024 amounted to $62.5 million, of which $47.4 million was attracted in 2024.
Investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan is developing in the fields of manufacturing, in particular food, textile, leather, pharmaceutical, transport and logistics, including infrastructure projects, as well as in the field of ICT and engineering services.
Cooperation in the transport sector
One of the main obstacles to increasing trade between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, as well as other South Asian countries, is the lack of direct rail links.
In this regard, Uzbekistan is interested in implementing the Mazar-I–Sharif–Kabul-Peshawar railway construction project with the participation of Pakistan, which will create a short and economical transport corridor between the countries.
The implementation of this project will not only create favorable conditions for increasing mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, but also increase the transit potential of both countries, as well as connect the regions of Central and South Asia with a short transport route, and open up the possibility for the countries of the Central Asian region to access the Pakistani ports of Gwadar and Karachi.
The Public Relations Sector of the CEIR.
