Experts Call for Preserving Pakistan-Uzbekistan Shared Cultural Heritage at International Conference

Islamabad : Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, His Excellency Ali Shir Takhtiyav, on Monday underlined that relations between Pakistan and Uzbekistan are deeply rooted in centuries-old civilizational, cultural, and spiritual traditions.

He was speaking at an international conference on “Pakistan-Uzbekistan Shared Cultural History” organised by the MUSLIM Institute Islamabad in collaboration with the Embassy of Uzbekistan at the Islamabad Club.

The Uzbek envoy noted that the ties between the two countries were not merely political or diplomatic in nature but stemmed from shared history, intellectual exchange, and strong Sufi traditions that continue to bind the people of both nations. He stressed the importance of protecting Islamic cultural heritage from distortion and attempts to erase it.

Speakers at the conference highlighted that the historical and cultural links between Pakistan and Central Asia were centuries old, dating back to the establishment of Muslim rule in the subcontinent. They cautioned that India’s Hindutva-driven policies were undermining Mughal and Timurid heritage by renaming monuments and erasing Muslim cultural contributions from textbooks.

They called for Central Asian countries to join hands with Pakistan in preserving manuscripts, promoting translation projects, and organising joint cultural events to strengthen people-to-people ties.

The participants also discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in multiple sectors including defence, agriculture, education, and tourism. They noted that Pakistan had trained Uzbek pilots and suggested exploring possibilities of JF-17 aircraft cooperation in the future.

Among the distinguished speakers were His Eminence Sultan Muhammad Ali, Founder of the MUSLIM Institute; Sardar Masood Khan, former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir; General (Retd.) Ehsanul Haq, former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee; Dr. Azmat Ziyo, Member of the Senate of Uzbekistan; Sahibzada Sultan Ahmed Ali, Chairman MUSLIM Institute; Major General (Retd.) Khalid Amir Jaffery, President of the Center for South Asia and International Studies; Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Dean of Social Sciences at QAU; Dr. Uzma Siraj, Director at NACTA; Dr. Odil Zaripov and Botir Yuldashev from the Institute of History and Sciences, Uzbekistan, among others.

The conference concluded with a call for greater cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan in cultural preservation, academic exchange, and strategic programmes, with speakers stressing that strengthening ties between Central Asia and South Asia would yield long-term benefits for the entire region.