Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan aim to raise bilateral trade from five million dollars to 200 million dollars over the next two years, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Thursday.
Addressing the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Business Forum, Shehbaz urged Kyrgyz businesses to pursue joint ventures in sectors including education, health, agriculture, IT, artificial intelligence, minerals, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and tourism. He highlighted the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as a one-window platform for foreign investors.
Shehbaz outlined Pakistan’s role as a transit hub for landlocked Kyrgyzstan, citing ongoing road projects by the National Logistics Cell, access to ports at Karachi, Gwadar, and Port Qasim, and a planned rail link connecting China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
He said around 8,500 Pakistani students are studying medicine in Kyrgyzstan, with both governments agreeing on a mechanism to certify graduates for practice in both countries. Pakistan also supports the CASA 1000 electricity project, he added.
President Sadyr Japarov described Pakistan as a strategic partner for Eurasian trade and detailed Kyrgyzstan’s recent economic gains, including nearly doubled GDP over five years, 10 percent growth in the first ten months of this year, and a tripled state budget. He highlighted opportunities in hydropower, logistics, agriculture, mining, halal food, tourism, pharmaceuticals, and digital finance, including a national stable coin, noting Kyrgyzstan ranks 19th globally in cryptocurrency adoption.
Both leaders stressed cooperation in climate resilience and cultural exchange, with events planned in capitals and provincial centres to promote shared heritage and Sufi traditions. Japarov invited Pakistani entrepreneurs to explore investment opportunities firsthand.
