Pakistan, Kazakhstan upgrade relations to strategic level

37 MoUs and agreements signed; $1b trade target set, up from a meager $250m

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Wednesday agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership, marking a major diplomatic milestone during the state visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Pakistan after 23 years.

The understanding was formalized through a Joint Declaration signed in Islamabad during President Tokayev's two-day visit (February 3-4) at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The leaders described the visit as historic, opening a new chapter of cooperation rooted in long-standing cultural and fraternal ties.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference, noting that Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan's independence in 1991. They expressed satisfaction over the steady growth of bilateral relations since the 1992 declaration on principles of relations.

Under the Strategic Partnership, Pakistan and Kazakhstan agreed to deepen cooperation across eight priority areas: political dialogue, security and defense, trade and investment, transport and logistics, education and information technology, culture and tourism, climate change and environmental coordination, and collaboration at regional and international fora.

Trade and Connectivity

The two countries committed to significantly enhance trade, investment, and regional connectivity, targeting a bilateral trade volume of $1 billion within the next year. They also agreed to promote a multi-country transport corridor linking Central and South Asia.

"We have agreed to the Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transport corridor to enhance regional connectivity," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said during a joint press stakeout with President Tokayev.

The prime minister encouraged business communities on both sides to invest in joint ventures, noting that despite strong political relations, the existing trade volume of $250 million last year does not reflect the full potential of the partnership. "With joint efforts, both sides can achieve significant progress," he added.

Memorandums and Agreements

The leaders witnessed the exchange of 37 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) across sectors including finance, trade, industry, transport, energy, health, culture, security, education, media, science, technology, climate change, and agriculture. President Tokayev highlighted transport and logistics as a priority area, emphasizing projects to expand trade flows and improve connectivity, including Pakistan's ports of Karachi and Gwadar as potential gateways for Central Asian trade.

Both sides also agreed to explore resuming direct air connections to promote business, tourism, and people-to-people contact.

Working Committee

Pakistan and Kazakhstan agreed to establish a working committee of senior ministers and officials to devise a roadmap for expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation over the next five years. Both leaders expressed confidence that the outcomes of the visit, including the signing of the Joint Declaration and 37 MoUs, would open new avenues of cooperation.

Commemorative Plaques and Infrastructure

During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Tokayev unveiled plaques for Mutual Sports and Education Centres. The prime minister also offered Pakistan's deep-sea ports at Gwadar and Karachi as trade outlets for Central Asian states, emphasizing plans to expand rail and road links via Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. "This project will be a game-changer, transforming economic integration not only between our two countries but across the entire region," he said at the Pakistan–Kazakhstan Business Forum.