ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Wednesday formalised a wide-ranging partnership by signing 37 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across multiple sectors, including petroleum, mining, maritime affairs, trade, and connectivity.
The accords were announced at a joint press conference by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is in Pakistan on a two-day official visit aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation.
Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz warmly received President Tokayev at his official residence, where the visiting dignitary was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of the armed forces.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold detailed bilateral and delegation-level talks to further strengthen strategic and economic ties between Islamabad and Astana. President Tokayev arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday, accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet members and top officials. Islamabad was decorated with Kazakhstan’s national flag in a gesture of hospitality, as shown in a video released by his office.
FM Dar welcomes Tokayev
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also met President Tokayev, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation in political, economic, and people-to-people domains. The Foreign Office said Dar highlighted the growing momentum of high-level exchanges and stressed the importance of regional peace and stability.
Push for stronger trade and connectivity
In a separate engagement, Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan met Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shaqqaliev. Both sides agreed that enhanced rail, road, and multimodal connectivity is crucial for boosting bilateral trade and long-term economic collaboration. Kazakhstan emphasised its vision of becoming a regional transit hub linking Central Asia with South Asia, China, Europe, and Pakistan’s ports.
Pakistan, in turn, welcomed the idea, saying improved transit routes would create broader regional and global trade opportunities. The two sides also discussed cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles, mining, energy, and infrastructure development. They agreed to develop a framework outlining trade targets, priority sectors, and a roadmap for business exchanges, trade missions, and exhibitions.
Nishan-i-Pakistan to be conferred
The President’s Secretariat announced that President Asif Ali Zardari will award the Nishan-i-Pakistan — Pakistan’s highest civilian honour — to the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with the latter expected to visit later this month.
A strategic win-win visit
The Foreign Office described President Tokayev’s visit as a timely opportunity to comprehensively review bilateral relations and explore new avenues for cooperation in trade, logistics, connectivity, and multilateral forums. The visit is widely seen as mutually beneficial: Pakistan strengthens its role as a land bridge between Central and South Asia, while Kazakhstan diversifies its trade partnerships amid geopolitical uncertainties following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
