Uzbekistan Showcases Tourism and Culture in Pakistan
Islamabad – 2 September 2025 (Adnan Hameed) : Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, inaugurated the Uzbekistan Tourism and Cultural Show titled “Uzbekistan: the Pearl of the Silk Road.” The event was attended by Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Tourism, Aftab ur Rehman Rana, Managing Director of PTDC, along with distinguished guests, diplomats, and dignitaries.
Addressing the ceremony, the Ambassador highlighted the centuries-old civilizational, cultural, and religious ties between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, once connected through the historic Silk Road. He invited Pakistanis to visit Uzbekistan’s world-famous UNESCO World Heritage cities, including Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Termez, and Kokand, which remain centers of Islamic learning and spirituality.
He also praised Pakistan’s rich heritage – from Mughal monuments in Lahore to the northern valleys – and emphasized that tourism exchanges will strengthen mutual understanding, economic opportunities, and people-to-people contacts.
Ambassador Tukhtaev informed that Uzbekistan Airways is currently operating two weekly flights from Tashkent to Lahore and one weekly flight to Islamabad, with plans to expand air connectivity to more Pakistani cities.
He noted that Uzbekistan is modernizing its tourism sector, focusing on pilgrimage, eco-tourism, medical, and adventure travel. Highlighting ziyarat tourism, he invited Pakistani pilgrims to visit the mausoleums of revered scholars and Sufi saints such as Imam al-Bukhari and Bahouddin Naqshband.
The Ambassador also invited Pakistani tour operators, investors, and business leaders to collaborate in hospitality projects, joint travel packages, and cultural initiatives.
He said the show aims to present Uzbekistan’s hospitality and traditions, serving as a bridge of friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Tukhtaev reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Pakistan in tourism and cultural exchanges, expressing confidence in a brighter future for bilateral relations.
Uzbekistan–Pakistan dosti zindabad!
