Pakistan, Uzbekistan vow to promote religious tourism

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Uzbekistan Firqat Sidiqov on Friday called on federal minister for religious affairs and interfaith harmony Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri and discussed bilateral relations.

During the meeting the federal minister highlighted the enduring brotherly relations between the two countries based on mutual trust.

He stated that Pakistan attached great importance to its special relations with Uzbekistan and desired to further expand its cooperation to all fields.

Both sides express satisfaction over the present status of collaboration and agreed to promote religious tourism between Pakistan and Uzbekistan as more than seven sacred shrines including shrine of Imam Bukhari are present in Bukhara, Samarqand and other cities of Uzbekistan.

In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed during the official visit of the minister in November later this year.

Qadri said that there was also an ongoing cooperation, both cultural and educational between the two countries, in addition to exchange of Ulema delegation and offering scholarships in Islamic studies for the students of both countries.

The federal minister and the Uzbek envoy agreed to keep working on strengthening the relationship between both countries in all fields to the interest of two states.