Gwadar Port access deal with Kazakhstan likely

Delegation from Astana due in Islamabad this month to finalise agreement

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and Kazakhstan are likely to sign a Gwadar Port access deal during the visit of Kazakhstan president in November this year.

Sources told The Express Tribune that a high-level delegation of Kazakhstan was due in Islamabad in the second week of September to finalise arrangements for an agreement on Gwadar Port access to the Central Asian states. They said that Kazakhstan intends to set up a goods terminal at Karachi Port for exports to the European Union member countries and the United States.

However, Pakistan would like to see Kazakhstan establish a terminal at Gwadar Port. During the upcoming dialogue between the two countries, officials will also explore prospects of forging road and rail linkages. Pakistan wants to form a consortium with the Central Asian states for developing the maritime sector.

Meanwhile, according to a statement, a key meeting was held between Kazakhstan Ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin and Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Tuesday. Both sides showed strong interest in expanding cooperation in the maritime sector.

The federal minister suggested initiating joint ventures at Karachi and Gwadar ports and highlighted the potential of forming partnerships in the Gwadar Free Zone. These efforts are intended to utilise Pakistan's strategic port infrastructure to enhance trade access for Kazakhstan, a landlocked nation seeking wider maritime connectivity.

The ambassador welcomed the initiatives, saying that Kazakhstan was eager to use Pakistani ports as transit hubs not only for Astana but also for the broader Central Asian region. He shared that a ministerial-level delegation, led by Kazakhstan's communication minister who also oversees maritime affairs, was scheduled to come to Pakistan soon. It will hold in-depth discussions to explore further cooperation in maritime trade and logistics.

The federal minister outlined the critical role of Pakistani ports as gateways offering Kazakhstan and other landlocked Central Asian nations access to markets in the Persian Gulf, Africa and Southeast Asia. He underscored the maritime sector's dedication to become a regional trade hub by adopting innovative approaches and reinforcing international partnerships.

The upcoming visit of the Kazakh delegation is expected to accelerate progress on joint ventures and trade facilitation and strengthen ties through maritime infrastructure development, logistics and the blue economy.