Pakistan keen to enhance bilateral ties with Kazakhstan: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday highlighted Pakistan’s strong interest to enhance bilateral trade, investment, and connectivity with Kazakhstan, including air, rail, and road links, along with fostering people-to-people exchanges.

During a meeting with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu, who is leading a ministerial delegation on an official visit to Pakistan, the prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s anticipation of the Kazakh President’s upcoming visit.

He proposed sending a delegation to Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, to finalise several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements currently under discussion.

Both sides noted ongoing dialogue over recent months and expressed optimism about concluding key agreements during the Kazakhstan President’s visit to Pakistan scheduled later this year.

Welcoming Deputy Prime Minister Nurtleu on his first visit to Pakistan, PM Sharif conveyed warm regards to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, whom he had recently met in China. He underscored the historically strong relations between the two countries and their shared commitment to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors.

Deputy Prime Minister Nurtleu thanked the Pakistani leadership for the hospitality extended during his visit, and briefed on his discussions with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. He described the forthcoming President’s visit as a potential milestone in Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations.

The meeting was attended by key officials such as the Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister for Railways, Advisor to the Prime Minister, and the Foreign Secretary.

In April 2025, Prime Minister Sharif initiated a feasibility study for a direct railway link between Pakistan and Kazakhstan. This proposed corridor aims to connect Central Asia with Gwadar Port, enhancing trade routes and regional connectivity.

Earlier, in August 2024, Kazakhstan and Pakistan launched the Trans-Afghan Multimodal Transport Corridor, a pilot project providing a new export route through Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, linking Kazakhstan’s Pavlodar region to Karachi Port. The route reduces delivery times to 20-25 days.

Both countries are working to finalize technical aspects of these projects. The pilot corridor is expected to increase cargo traffic, while the proposed railway link would offer direct access from Central Asia to Gwadar, strengthening regional trade ties.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025