HRL signs MoU for new smart city development in Uzbekistan

Mettis Global reported, citing APP, that Habib Rafiq Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. (HRL) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Khorezm Region for a smart city project in Khiva, Uzbekistan. The development will extend the historic city of Khiva and is intended to attract investment, support innovation and improve regional connectivity. The document was signed in Urgench, the provincial capital of Khorezm, by Khalid Taimur Akram for HRL and Deputy Governor Alisher Dushanov for the region.

HRL plans to contribute its know-how in building major infrastructure and property projects, drawing on urban works in Pakistan such as Capital Smart City Islamabad and Lahore Smart City. Its expertise would cover smart urban planning, transport links, utility systems and sustainable city solutions across Uzbekistan and more broadly in Central Asia. According to the report, the project seeks to combine modern infrastructure with the preservation of Khiva's heritage, a city whose recorded past spans over 2,500 years.

Zahid Rafiq, chairman of HRL Group, and vice chairman Jahanzaib Zahid led the initiative, which is aligned with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's vision of accelerating modernisation. HRL says it will work closely with Uzbek authorities as the project advances. The report describes the plan as one that could mark a new chapter in economic ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.