Pakistan, Kazakhstan sign 37 accords in energy, mining, maritime affairs 

Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Wednesday signed 37 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) across multiple sectors, including petroleum, mining, and maritime affairs, during a two-day official visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The signing ceremony followed talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Tokayev, who addressed a joint press conference after the agreements were concluded. The prime minister said the two sides held detailed discussions and emphasised the need to convert the signed MoUs into binding agreements and move quickly toward implementation.

The prime minister said stronger implementation would deepen economic, trade, and cultural ties between the two countries. He added that Pakistan would work to ensure timely follow-through on the commitments made.

President Tokayev was earlier received at the prime minister’s official residence, where he was presented with a guard of honour by a contingent of the armed forces. The visit marks the first by a Kazakh president to Pakistan in more than two decades.

The two leaders held bilateral and delegation-level meetings as part of efforts to expand cooperation. Kazakhstan remains Pakistan’s leading export destination among Central Asian states, and both sides have expressed interest in further strengthening trade and investment links.

President Tokayev arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet members and officials.

Separately, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with Arman Shaqqaliev, Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to review the current state of bilateral trade and explore avenues for expanding economic cooperation, connectivity, and investment, according to an official statement.

The meeting focused on addressing connectivity challenges between Pakistan and Central Asia and identifying practical measures to unlock the full trade potential between the two countries.

Both sides agreed that improved rail, road, and multimodal connectivity is essential for strengthening Pakistan–Kazakhstan trade and enabling sustained, long-term economic engagement.

The Kazakh minister highlighted the importance of developing major infrastructure projects, particularly railway and road corridors, noting that such initiatives could generate trade and investment flows of around $5 billion while supporting employment and regional supply chains. 

He outlined Kazakhstan’s vision of becoming a regional hub linking Central Asia with South Asia, China, Europe, and the Global South, including access to Pakistan’s ports.

The commerce minister underscored Pakistan’s interest in enhancing direct connectivity with Central Asia through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, while acknowledging regional and geopolitical challenges. He said improved transit routes would benefit both countries and create wider opportunities for regional and global trade, including access to African and ASEAN markets via Pakistan’s ports.

The two sides discussed cooperation in priority sectors such as agriculture and food security, pharmaceuticals, textiles, sports goods, leather products, mining and minerals, energy, and infrastructure development.

Kazakhstan expressed interest in joint ventures, particularly in food processing, agricultural value chains, and pharmaceuticals, while Pakistan invited Kazakh investment in mining, minerals, and agri-based industries under its investment facilitation framework.

The meeting also reviewed the need for structured business-to-business engagement, with both sides agreeing that trade promotion bodies should focus on connecting firms, sharing market intelligence, and supporting matchmaking without creating regulatory barriers.

It was agreed to work towards finalising a framework document outlining priority sectors, trade targets, and a roadmap covering trade missions, exhibitions, and exchange of delegations.

The two sides also agreed to prepare and sign non-binding minutes of the meeting to record agreed steps, timelines, and follow-up actions, while formal agreements proceed through relevant approval processes.

Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Pakistan–Kazakhstan economic relations, expressing confidence that sustained institutional coordination and private-sector engagement would enhance bilateral trade and investment in the coming years.