Islamabad: Pakistan and Kazakhstan have reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen their strategic partnership. The resolve was expressed during a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Islamabad. The discussions included a tªte- -tªte followed by an extended meeting with their respective delegations.
According to Radio Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari emphasized the mutual commitment of Pakistan and Kazakhstan to broaden cooperation across political, economic, and regional domains. He highlighted Pakistan's readiness to work closely with Kazakhstan to advance shared goals of peace, connectivity, and sustainable development. The visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the first by a Kazakh head of state in over two decades, was seen as a timely opportunity to enhance bilateral ties and achieve concrete outcomes through expanded cooperation and institutional linkages.
President Zardari pointed out that while bilateral trade has seen growth, it still falls short of its potential. He expressed confidence that the Roadmap for Trade and Economic Cooperation 2025-2027, along with agreements on transit trade, customs cooperation, and banking, would help eliminate operational bottlenecks and open new avenues for trade and investment. The President also underscored the importance of leveraging Pakistan's resources in energy, agriculture, mining, information technology, and defense production.
Regional connectivity was identified as central to strengthening Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations. President Zardari welcomed progress on rail and road linkages, including cooperation on the CASA railway alignment and the effective utilization of Quadrilateral Transit Trade Agreement routes. He noted that enhanced connectivity, supported by improved air links and access to Pakistani ports, would boost bilateral trade and contribute to regional integration and economic stability.
The two Presidents welcomed the signing of several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding, expressing confidence that these would provide renewed momentum to mutual ties and unlock significant untapped potential for economic cooperation. On regional and international developments, President Zardari reiterated Pakistan's commitment to peace and dialogue, stressing collective efforts for stability in South Asia and beyond.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of bilateral ties and reiterated his country's commitment to strengthening connectivity and economic cooperation with Pakistan. He noted the presence of prominent Kazakh business leaders in his delegation and expressed optimism about achieving the target of one billion dollars in bilateral trade.
President Tokayev also welcomed the increasing number of Pakistani students and tourists visiting Kazakhstan. The two leaders expressed confidence that this visit would open a new chapter in Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations and agreed to maintain close coordination to advance shared goals of connectivity, economic cooperation, and regional stability.
Following the conclusion of his two-day visit to Pakistan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev left for home, with Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Malik seeing him off at the airport.