Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening political and economic ties, focusing on regional connectivity and future collaboration, as discussions between the two nations’ foreign ministers took place in Islamabad.
The meeting between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Kazakh Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs laid the groundwork for deeper bilateral cooperation ahead of the Kazakh president’s visit to Pakistan in November. The restricted session between the ministers was followed by delegation-level talks, with Nurtleu accompanied by a 13-member delegation, including Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport.
The Foreign Office highlighted that the discussions would offer an opportunity to review preparations for the upcoming presidential visit, focusing on a broad range of topics, including trade, investment, agriculture, education, cultural and tourism exchanges, and regional connectivity.
Pakistan also urged Kazakhstan to leverage its ports as gateways to South Asia, Central Asia, and the Gulf. This came during talks between the Kazakh delegation and Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs. Pakistan emphasized its ports’ strategic location, offering access to multiple regions and competitive tariffs, especially under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Federal Secretary of Maritime Affairs, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, discussed the prospects for greater cooperation on Pakistani ports, multimodal transport corridors, and trade routes linking Central Asia with the Arabian Sea. Shah underscored the potential for Kazakhstan to benefit from container handling, logistics, and off-dock terminals at competitive tariffs.
The delegation visited key ports, including Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim Authority (PQA), where presentations were made on business opportunities. KPT’s acting chairman, Rear Admiral Ateeq-ur-Rehman, shared plans for a maritime business district, while PQA Chairman Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Moazzam Ilyas proposed collaborations in off-dock terminals linked with rail networks for Central Asian trade.
Additionally, Pakistan proposed Gwadar’s growing role, offering duty exemptions, sales tax breaks, and its shortest land-sea route for Central Asian nations via the coastal highway.
Kazakh Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev expressed interest in long-term cooperation and the expansion of maritime ties with Pakistan, which could serve as a critical transit hub for Central Asia.
