Prof. Shabir Ahmad Khan
The two brotherly countrie
Pakistan and Uzbekistan have developed tremendous mutual understanding on remaking andenhancing trade, economic, political and strategic relations by resolving regional issues of integration and weaving historical bonds. The two countries are already on the way in a right direction towards closer cooperation through enhanced connectivity.
High-level interactions have been expedited and bilateral trade has been increasing with steady pace. The bilateral trade volume reached from just $36 millionin 2017to more than $140 million in 2020. A Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) which is on cards, can be instrumental in amounting the bilateral trade volume to $1 billion with in next two years.Establishing backward and forwards linkages through joint ventures in pharmaceuticals, textile engineering, cotton processing, leather, agriculture and IT between the public and private sectors of both the countries will drive the economic, trade and investment relations to new heights. The air, road, rail connectivity will add further momentum to all-encompassing bilateral relations.
An online summit between the leaders of Pakistan and Uzbekistan has been organised on April 14, 2021 which will set the direction for further enhancing mutually rewarding cooperation in all walks of life. The new regional realities necessitate to revive historical cultural and trade links with new zeal and technologies. In order to capitalize their respective significant geographies, the two countries have concrete plans and mechanisms which include the development of transport and logistic corridors via Afghanistan.
In this regard Pakistan and Uzbekistan are important partners in bringing peace and development to Afghanistan by making it a transit hub between Central Asia and Pakistan. These plans include extension of Termiz-Mizar-e-Sharif Railway line to Peshawar via Kabul and Jalalabad. This line can be further linked to ML 1 being re-invigorated under CPEC ultimately linking Tashkent with Karachi and Gwadar efficiently.
The two brotherly countries Pakistan and Uzbekistan can be efficiently linked through Termiz and Peshawar via Kabul and Jalalabad as the road distance involved is less than 800 km.For Pakistan connectivity with Uzbekistan means connectivity with all other CARs. Pakistan is naturally facing towards Central Asia and considers itself part of the process of regionalism reinvigorated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Central Asia. Improving physical connectivity infrastructure and harmonizing, coordinating policies via Afghanistan is imperative for meaning-full cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan in the short term.
In this regard the two historical cities Peshawar the Northwestern city of Pakistan and Termiz the Southernmost city of Uzbeksitan bordering Afghanistan with a road distance of less than 800 km from each other have significant roles making a friendship bridge between the two countries in particular and the regions of Central and South Asia in general. Peshawar was used to be the Capital of Central Asian Kushan Dynasty which ruled Central and South Asia during the first Century CE. Similarly the ancient Termiz city started to flourish during the same period.
Despite thousands years have been passed, the two cities occupy key locational positions over the trading routes linking Eurasian corridors in contemporary era. Termiz is the gateway to Central Asia for Pakistan via Afghanistan while Peshawar is the gateway to Pakistan and South Asia for Uzbeksitan and other Central Asian Republics. The two countries can also declare both the historical cities as ‘sister cities’ to revive and enhance cultural, academic, political, media and trade relations between the two cities and also paving way for smooth transition via Afghanistan.
The prospective Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway project recently agreed upon by the three countries reinforces the idea of Peshawar-Termiz sister cities. There are a number of other reasons that induce both the countries Pakistan and Uzbekistan to declare the two cities as sister cities including the prospects of peace and development in Afghanistan.It will also help to harmonies and coordinate cross border polices for smooth border crossing between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, contributing to the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and leading to a win win situation.The two cities will have significant role as Pakistan-Afghanistan-Central Asia corridor is in the making.
There is an irregular bus service between Peshawar and Kabul. This bus service can be extended and regularized between Peshawar and Termiz via Kabul for increased people to people contact to expedite the revival of ancient Silk Road. It will also help in enhancing cultural understanding and removing the gap created and imposed by the imperial legacies.
It will also be helpful in mutual learning through experiences sharing. In this regard, visa services at borders or in Peshawar and Termiz will be useful and need of the day for enhancing people to people contact and tourism between the two countries in particular and between Pakistan and Central Asia in general.This development will also create conditions for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to enter trilateral agreements serving multiple purposes including sustainable peace in Afghanistan and smooth transit for shared growth and prosperity.
In addition the two cities will improve their global ranking across various fields by sharing valuable resources and approaches in business, education, culture and technologies. Educational partnerships and developments including diversified bilateral exchanges and joint research and teaching programmes in particular have proven to be popular means of intercity collaborations.
Ultimately harmonization and coordination of policies will be achieved to benefit from each other’s experiences in the fields of agriculture, industry, education and trade between the two cities in particular and the three countries Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbeksitan in general. Thus Termiz-Peshawar Friendship Bridge naturally evolves which will effectively revive the old historical trade and cultural links in this era of new silk roadsleading to shared prosperity through increased economic activity.
The writer is the Director Area Study Centre (Russia, China & Central Asia), University of Peshawar.
