Pakistan and Uzbekistan have signed a protocol to enhance cooperation for social and economic development, says an official statement. They inked the protocol during the second meeting of their Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) in Tashkent. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation for bilateral trade, economic relations, scientific and technological, telecommunication and food and agricultural. After detailed discussion and deliberations, they agreed and signed a protocol to organize mutual visits of business delegations, holding of single country exhibition in each other's country, cooperation between the chambers of commerce and industry, cooperation in scientific and technical fields, food and agriculture, tourism, water and power, scientific and telecommunications. Both sides entered into an understanding, in principle, for purchase of cotton from Uzbekistan on regular basis. With the view to creating favorable conditions for bilateral trade, both sides agreed to develop cooperation between banking/financial institutions of two states. Pakistan offered technical and financial expertise in textile sector and credit line of US 5 million dollars to Uzbekistan for import of textile machinery and other engineering goods from Pakistan. Both sides agreed that a joint committee on science and technology will also be set up between the two countries and short term training courses will be started in various fields between them. They agreed to enter into a trilateral transit trade agreement through Afghanistan to avail port facility at Gwadar and other land routes. They agreed to hold the 3rd session of the joint ministerial commission next year in Islamabad.
