Pakistan, Kazakhstan sign over 30 pacts for cooperation in multiple sectors
Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Wednesday signed 37 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in several sectors, including petroleum, mining, and maritime affairs.
The announcement was made at a joint press conference by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is on a two-day visit.
Speaking at the ceremony, PM Shehbaz welcomed the delegation from Kazakhstan, noting that it was the โfirst time in 23 years that a Kazakh president was visiting the countryโ.
He stated that the two of them had โvery useful and productive meetings since the morning, and just now we signed 37 MoUsโ.
PM Shehbaz expressed hope that President Tokayev โwill make sure that the MoUs are converted into agreements and then [move] to their implementation phase as early as possibleโ.
The premier also vowed to ensure โspeedyโ implementation of the MoUs on his part.
โIf we are to make these MoUs a reality, our economic, trade, and cultural relations will go notches higher,โ the premier maintained.
Earlier, PM Shehbaz warmly welcomed President Tokayev at his official residence.
President Tokayev was presented with a guard of honour by a smartly turned out contingent of the armed forces following his arrival.
The two leaders will hold bilateral and delegation-level talks and are expected to sign agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in several sectors.
The Kazakh president arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day official visit as the two nations seek to further bolster bilateral ties.
The two countries maintain friendly diplomatic relations, with Kazakhstan being Pakistanโs top export destination among Central Asian countries.
Tokayev is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials. A video shared by his office showed the streets in Islamabad adorned with Kazakhstanโs national flag.
FM Dar welcomes Tokayev
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also met with President Tokayev and welcomed him to Pakistan, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.
During the meeting, Dar โunderscored Pakistanโs appreciation for the growing momentum of high-level political exchanges.โ
The foreign minister โreaffirmed the shared commitment to expand bilateral cooperation across political, economic, & people-to-people domains, and to work together for durable peace, stability, and development in the region,โ FO said.
Agreement to deepen trade, connectivity and investment cooperation
Separately, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan held a comprehensive bilateral meeting with Kazakhstanโs Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shaqqaliev, at the Ministry of Commerce in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The two sides explored avenues for expanding economic cooperation, connectivity and investment, according to a press release.
โBoth sides agreed that improved rail, road and multimodal connectivity is fundamental to strengthening PakistanโKazakhstan trade and enabling sustainable, long-term economic engagement,โ the statement said.
The Kazakh minister highlighted the strategic importance of developing major infrastructure projects, particularly railway and road corridors. He emphasised Kazakhstanโs vision of becoming a regional hub connecting Central Asia with South Asia, China, Europe and the Global South, including Pakistanโs ports, the statement added.
Meanwhile, Jam Kamal Khan said that improved transit routes would not only benefit Pakistan and Kazakhstan but also open broader opportunities for regional and global trade.
โBoth ministers discussed cooperation in priority sectors, including agriculture and food security, pharmaceuticals, textiles, sports goods, leather products, mining and minerals, energy, and infrastructure development,โ the statement said.
The meeting also reviewed the need for structured business-to-business (B2B) engagement. It was agreed to work towards finalising a framework document outlining priority sectors, trade targets and a roadmap of activities, including trade missions, exhibitions and exchange of delegations.
โBoth ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to transforming PakistanโKazakhstan economic relations from potential to performance,โ the statement added.
They expressed confidence that sustained institutional coordination and private-sector engagement would significantly enhance bilateral trade and investment in the coming years.
โImportant and timely opportunityโ
In a handout issued earlier on Tuesday, the Presidentโs Secretariat said that President Zardari will confer the Nishan-i-Pakistan, the countryโs highest civilian award, on the Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan presidents; the latter is expected to visit the country sometime this month.
According to the Foreign Office (FO), President Tokayev is expected to hold meetings with President Zardari and PM Shehbaz, as well as address the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum.
President Tokayevโs visit will provide Islamabad and Astana โan important and timely opportunity to undertake a comprehensive reviewโ of bilateral relations, the FO had highlighted.
It added that the two sides will discuss new avenues for broadening cooperation, particularly in trade, logistics, regional connectivity and people-to-people contacts, as well as explore collaboration at regional and international forums.
This visit is seen as a win-win situation by both countries. For Pakistan, it will help Islamabad position itself as a land bridge between Central and South Asia and beyond. For Kazakhstan, it will help diversify its international trade amid turbulence in Eurasia in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.
