Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan aim to boost trade to $200m by 2027-28

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan on Thursday set an ambitious target to increase bilateral trade to USD 200 million by 2027-28, marking a key milestone in their ongoing efforts to strengthen ties across several critical sectors.

The announcement followed high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Zhaparov, during which the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in key areas, including trade, energy, regional connectivity, and security.

At the meeting, attended by senior officials from both Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Field Marshal Gen Syed Asim Munir, and others, the two sides explored various avenues to enhance economic collaboration.

Kyrgyz president begins two-day visit to Pakistan

The leaders agreed to adopt a results-oriented approach, focusing on the timely implementation of key agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs), to achieve the trade target in the coming years.

Prime Minister Sharif emphasised that the new trade target is a part of Pakistan’s broader “Vision Central Asia” policy, which aims to deepen economic and strategic relations with Central Asia.

President Zhaparov’s delegation, which included ministers and senior officials, reflected the importance of the talks. Both leaders stressed the significance of improving regional connectivity through infrastructure development and energy projects to facilitate smoother trade flows.

A major highlight of the discussions was the CASA-1000 project, a regional energy initiative designed to transmit electricity from Central Asia to South Asia.

The two leaders agreed on the critical importance of the timely implementation of the project, which they believe will enhance energy security and contribute to regional integration.

Both countries expressed their commitment to supporting CASA-1000, viewing it as a vital tool for regional cooperation.

In addition to energy, connectivity remained a top priority as both sides discussed the operationalisation of the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement (QTTA), which aims to enhance road links between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, providing a more efficient trade route. The leaders highlighted the potential for expanded trade and economic cooperation through secure, diversified, and sustainable trade routes.

The leaders reviewed the outcomes of the 5th Kyrgyz-Pakistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission and expressed satisfaction with progress in education, agriculture, and tourism, reaffirming their commitment to expanding cooperation, particularly in people-to-people exchanges and education.

On regional security, Prime Minister Sharif and President Zhaparov discussed escalating threats to peace and security, reaffirming their commitment to resolving disputes peacefully, in accordance with international law and UN Security Council resolutions.

The situation in Afghanistan was also a key topic, with both leaders urging the Afghan Taliban regime to meet its international obligations, especially in combating terrorism and addressing Pakistan’s security concerns.

On the international front, both leaders expressed strong support for the Palestinian cause, reaffirming their commitment to the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the creation of an independent state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The visit culminated in the signing of 15 MoUs and agreements across several strategic sectors, aimed at fostering deeper cooperation between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.

These agreements were exchanged after high-level talks during a special ceremony held to mark the occasion, covering areas such as energy, trade, agriculture, education, culture, and tourism.

Among the key agreements was an MoU between Pakistan’s Foreign Service Academy and Kyrgyzstan’s Diplomatic Academy, signed by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubayev.

Other notable agreements include a cooperation deal between Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce and Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce, signed by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Kyrgyzstan’s Minister Beket Sediqov, and a bilateral energy cooperation agreement, inked by Pakistan’s Minister for Power Awais Lagari and Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Energy Talibek.

In addition to agreements on energy, agriculture, and mining, the two countries also reached an agreement on the exchange of convicted persons, signed by Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Kyrgyzstan’s Prosecutor General Meksit Asanaliyev.

Several other MoUs were signed, covering topics such as the exchange of electronic data between customs agencies, cultural cooperation, and collaboration in the surgical instruments and tourism sectors.

A significant development was the agreement to establish sister city relations between Islamabad and Bishkek, the capitals of Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025