Kazakhstan Seeks Joint Ventures with Pakistan in Food, Pharma and Agriculture Sectors
Kazakhstan has expressed strong interest in launching joint ventures with Pakistan in food processing, agricultural value chains, and the pharmaceutical industry as both countries move to deepen economic cooperation.
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan held a detailed bilateral meeting with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shaqqaliev at the Ministry of Commerce in Islamabad, where the two sides reviewed the current state of trade relations and explored practical ways to expand investment, connectivity, and commercial ties.
Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to turning Pakistan–Kazakhstan economic relations from potential into performance, with a focus on connectivity-driven growth, private-sector engagement, and regional integration. They voiced confidence that sustained institutional coordination would significantly boost bilateral trade and investment in the years ahead.
A major part of the discussion centered on overcoming connectivity challenges between Pakistan and Central Asia. The two sides agreed that stronger rail, road, and multimodal transport links are essential for unlocking long-term trade potential.
Minister Shaqqaliev highlighted the strategic importance of large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly transport corridors, noting that such initiatives could generate trade and investment flows of around $5 billion, create jobs, and strengthen regional supply chains. He also outlined Kazakhstan’s ambition to become a regional hub linking Central Asia with South Asia, China, Europe, the Global South, and Pakistan’s ports.
The Pakistani commerce minister emphasized Islamabad’s interest in improving direct connectivity with Central Asia through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, while acknowledging regional and geopolitical challenges. He noted that enhanced transit routes would benefit both countries and open wider trade opportunities, including access to African and ASEAN markets via Pakistan’s ports.
Cooperation in priority sectors — including agriculture and food security, pharmaceuticals, textiles, sports goods, leather, mining and minerals, energy, and infrastructure — was also discussed. Pakistan invited Kazakh investment in mining, mineral development, and agri-based industries under its investment facilitation framework.
Both sides stressed the importance of structured business-to-business engagement, agreeing that trade promotion bodies should support matchmaking, market intelligence sharing, and private-sector linkages without adding regulatory hurdles.
They also agreed to work on a framework document outlining priority sectors, trade targets, and a roadmap of activities such as trade missions, exhibitions, and exchange visits. To ensure progress, the two countries will prepare and sign non-binding Minutes of the Meeting to record agreed steps, timelines, and commitments while formal agreements move through approval channels.
