On 16th February 2026, His Excellency Mr. Sherzod S. Khidoyatov, Minister of Construction, Housing and Communal Services of the Republic of Uzbekistan, along with a five-member delegation from the Ministry, visited Pakistan’s first smart city project, “Capital Smart City,” located near Islamabad. His Excellency Mr. Alisher Tukhtaev, Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Pakistan, accompanied the delegation, along with the Deputy Ambassador and other senior diplomats from the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The delegation was warmly received by Mr. Zahid Rafiq, Chairman of Habib Rafiq Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd., Mr. Muhammad Aslam Malik, Chief Operating Officer of Habib Rafiq Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd., Mr. Zahid Nadeem, CEO of Habib Rafiq Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. and Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Advisor to Habib Rafiq Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. Group. The reception reflected the strong and growing ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan, particularly in the fields of infrastructure development and urban planning.
During the visit, the Uzbek Minister and his delegation were given a comprehensive briefing on the vision, master planning, and development progress of Capital Smart City. The management highlighted the project’s state-of-the-art infrastructure, smart technologies, sustainable urban design, residential and commercial zones, healthcare and educational facilities, and environmentally friendly initiatives. The delegation was informed about the city’s integrated smart solutions aimed at enhancing quality of life, efficient resource management, and modern urban governance.
The delegation expressed great appreciation for the high standards of construction, advanced planning, and rapid development work being carried out at the project site. They showed keen interest in the innovative features and technical expertise demonstrated by Habib Rafiq Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd., recognizing the company’s significant contribution to Pakistan’s modern urban development landscape.
On this occasion, His Excellency Mr. Sherzod S. Khidoyatov extended an invitation to Habib Rafiq Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. to visit Uzbekistan and explore potential collaboration opportunities in construction, housing development, and infrastructure projects. He emphasized Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms and development initiatives in the construction sector and expressed interest in benefiting from Pakistan’s experience in smart city planning and execution.
The visit underscored the shared commitment of Pakistan and Uzbekistan to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the areas of construction, housing, infrastructure development, and smart urban solutions. It also opened new avenues for future partnerships, knowledge exchange, and joint ventures between leading institutions and companies of both countries.
