Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday vowed to take bilateral trade volume with Kazakhstan to $1 billion over the next year, citing the potential of the two countries.
The premier made the announcement while addressing a joint press conference with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is currently on a two-day visit to Pakistan.
A signing ceremony was held at the joint press conference, where the two countries signed 27 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in several sectors, including petroleum, mining, and maritime affairs.
At the outset of his address, PM Shehbaz welcomed the delegation from Kazakhstan, noting that it was the “first time in 23 years that a Kazakh president was visiting the country”.
He stated that the two of them had “very useful and productive meetings since the morning, and just now we signed 37 MoUs”.
PM Shehbaz expressed hope that President Tokayev “will make sure that the MoUs are converted into agreements and then [move] to their implementation phase as early as possible”.
The premier also vowed to ensure “speedy” implementation of the MoUs on his part.
“If we are to make these MoUs a reality, our economic, trade, and cultural relations will go notches higher,” the premier maintained.
He commended President Tokayev for being a “very serious-minded politician, an accomplished diplomat”.
He also congratulated the Kazakh premier on receiving Nishan-i-Pakistan, stressing that the honour reflected Pakistan’s “deep appreciation of your visionary leadership and your outstanding contribution towards strengthening the close and friendly ties between our two brotherly countries”.
The premier then shifted his attention to US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, and congratulated President Tokayev for joining the board.
“Let us pray and hope to God that we will be successful in bringing long-lasting peace in Gaza, its reconstruction, and of course, make the two-state solution a reality as soon as possible,” PM Shehbaz said.
“Kazakhstan is blessed with infinite natural resources, and you are one of the leading countries in the field of mining minerals and [exporting] them along with petroleum products, oil and gas”.
“Pakistan is also blessed with infinite natural resources, great human minds and a very hardworking population,” PM Shehbaz said.
However, he noted that Pakistan and Kazakhstan’s “trade volume was just a meagre $250 million during the last year”.
“This does not just reflect the strength of our friendship but also the potential of our two countries,” he added.
He continued: “Let us make the commitment that we will take up our trade volume to $1 billion in the next year”.
He called on the Pakistani and Kazakh business communities to invest in joint ventures, stressing that the current investment portfolio was “negligible” despite great potential on both sides.
PM Shehbaz detailed that the two sides had agreed to the “Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transport corridor to enhance regional connectivity”.
He assured President Tokayev that Pakistan will offer to Kazakhstan “full access to Pakistan’s transit infrastructure and seaport facilities”.
Located in Central Asia, Kazakhstan is the world’s largest landlocked country. It borders Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
On the matter of energy, the premier expressed faith that the collaboration between the two countries in the sector will be a “win-win situation”.
Shehbaz further stressed that Pakistan regarded Kazakhstan as a “strategic and one of the most valued partners in Central Asia”.
“I am absolutely confident that with our collaboration and discussion today, with productive, encouraging outcomes and this signing ceremony, we will not only reinvigorate our relations but also give a huge impetus to our bilateral ties,” the premier said.
Detailing the meeting between the two, PM Shehbaz said that President Tokayev gave a “wonderful roadmap for our future cooperation”.
“This could only come from a visionary leader like you, who has great experience, great expertise and knowledge,” the prime minister added.
He further stressed that as Pakistan and Kazakhstan’s partnership strengthens, “we look forward to exploring new horizons of cooperation in trade, culture, education and many other areas”.
Pakistan ‘reliable and important partner’
President Tokayev, in his address, termed Pakistan a “reliable and important partner in South Asia and beyond”.
“Our people are united by centuries-old ties rooted in the legacy of the great Silk Road, as well as by deep cultural and spiritual affinity,” he said.
“Our nations share common values, traditions, and joint aspirations for the future,” he added.
He detailed that the two countries “signed a historical document — a joint declaration — on establishing a strategic partnership between Pakistan and Kazakhstan”.
“By elevating our relations to a new level, we open up immense opportunities to engage across the full spectrum of bilateral and multilateral agendas,” he added.
President Tokayev lauded PM Shehbaz for “his significant, decisive contribution to deepening friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries“.
He noted that Islamabad’s “regional and global standing continues to grow” under the leadership of PM Shehbaz.
Tokayev lauded Pakistan’s efforts in “strengthening peace and stability in the region,” recalling Pakistan’s election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
“Today, Pakistan possesses strong economic potential, well-developed industrial capacity and extensive transit and transport capabilities,” he added.
He also commended the “dynamic development of Pakistan’s defence industry”, which he said was “well-recognised globally”.
Speaking about his meeting with the prime minister, he said, “We just held very substantive and productive talks with PM Shehbaz”.
“This afternoon, I will also have the privilege of meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari,” he added.
He said that during his meeting with PM Shehbaz, the pair discussed “trade, transport and logistics, industry, energy, information technology, as well as cultural and humanitarian cooperation”.
“Important intergovernmental documents were adopted, focusing on result-oriented engagement across the full bilateral spectrum,” he added.
He also took note of the two countries’ trade ties, which he said were now “gaining new momentum”.
“Last year, bilateral trade doubled compared to the previous year,” he said, adding that the “roadmap for trade and economic cooperation is being effectively implemented”.
Echoing PM Shehbaz’s earlier commitment on expanding bilateral trade ties, he said, “We agreed to take concrete measures to further increase trade volume with an ambitious yet achievable target of reaching $1bn in the near future, emphasising the importance of creating favourable conditions to intensify cooperation between our business communities”.
He added that the transport and logistics project “aimed at expanding trade” will be prioritised.
The Kazakh president stressed that Pakistan’s role in transit and logistics could “offer us alternative access to international markets”.
He said that the two leaders discussed “the capabilities of Pakistan’s ports of Karachi and Gwadar as priority issues.
The visiting head of state added that the two also addressed the “development of Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and transit routes passing through Afghanistan”.
The two sides also agreed to “explore the possibility of resuming direct air connection between the two countries”.
Speaking about the energy sector, President Tokayev said that the two “exchanged views on the prospects of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India TAPI gas pipeline”.
He further said that the two sides have signed agreements in the agriculture sector.
He said that the agreements will pave the way for “expanding trade and establishing joint production facilities”.
Taking note of both countries’ “substantial industrial capabilities”, he invited Pakistani companies to set up production facilities in Kazakhstan.
He added that the two also agreed to “expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the defence industry”.
“Cooperation between our security and law enforcement agencies has been developing dynamically in recent years,” President Tokayev noted.
He also said that the two leaders, during their meeting, “emphasised the strategic importance of AI and digital technologies, especially for economic growth, and we confirmed our readiness to walk jointly in this field”.
Tokayev expressed readiness to “provide favourable conditions for Pakistani investors in Kazakhstan”.
“More than 250 companies from both countries will come together and sign a number of commercial agreements,” he said, referring to the Kazakhstan-Pakistan Business Forum — to be held later today.
He expressed confidence that the event will “unlock untapped potential in trade, economic and investment relations”.
He recalled that in his meeting with the prime minister, the two also discussed the “popularity” of Kazakhstan’s higher education among Pakistani youth.
“Currently, more than 1,000 Pakistanis students are studying in Kazakhstan in various fields,” President Tokayev said.
The two sides agreed to “foster cooperation in science and education,” according to President Tokayev.
Earlier, PM Shehbaz warmly welcomed President Tokayev at his official residence.
President Tokayev was presented with a guard of honour by a smartly turned out contingent of the armed forces following his arrival.
The Kazakh president arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day official visit as the two nations seek to further bolster bilateral ties.
The two countries maintain friendly diplomatic relations, with Kazakhstan being Pakistan’s top export destination among Central Asian countries.
Tokayev is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials. A video shared by his office showed the streets in Islamabad adorned with Kazakhstan’s national flag.
FM Dar welcomes Tokayev
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also met with President Tokayev and welcomed him to Pakistan, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.
During the meeting, Dar “underscored Pakistan’s appreciation for the growing momentum of high-level political exchanges.”
The foreign minister “reaffirmed the shared commitment to expand bilateral cooperation across political, economic, & people-to-people domains, and to work together for durable peace, stability, and development in the region,” FO said.
Agreement to deepen trade, connectivity and investment cooperation
Separately, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan held a comprehensive bilateral meeting with Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shaqqaliev, at the Ministry of Commerce in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The two sides explored avenues for expanding economic cooperation, connectivity and investment, according to a press release.
“Both sides agreed that improved rail, road and multimodal connectivity is fundamental to strengthening Pakistan–Kazakhstan trade and enabling sustainable, long-term economic engagement,” the statement said.
The Kazakh minister highlighted the strategic importance of developing major infrastructure projects, particularly railway and road corridors. He emphasised Kazakhstan’s vision of becoming a regional hub connecting Central Asia with South Asia, China, Europe and the Global South, including Pakistan’s ports, the statement added.
Meanwhile, Jam Kamal Khan said that improved transit routes would not only benefit Pakistan and Kazakhstan but also open broader opportunities for regional and global trade.
“Both ministers discussed cooperation in priority sectors, including agriculture and food security, pharmaceuticals, textiles, sports goods, leather products, mining and minerals, energy, and infrastructure development,” the statement said.
The meeting also reviewed the need for structured business-to-business (B2B) engagement. It was agreed to work towards finalising a framework document outlining priority sectors, trade targets and a roadmap of activities, including trade missions, exhibitions and exchange of delegations.
“Both ministers reaffirmed their shared commitment to transforming Pakistan–Kazakhstan economic relations from potential to performance,” the statement added.
They expressed confidence that sustained institutional coordination and private-sector engagement would significantly enhance bilateral trade and investment in the coming years.
‘Important and timely opportunity’
In a handout issued earlier on Tuesday, the President’s Secretariat said that President Zardari will confer the Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civilian award, on the Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan presidents; the latter is expected to visit the country sometime this month.
According to the Foreign Office (FO), President Tokayev is expected to hold meetings with President Zardari and PM Shehbaz, as well as address the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum.
President Tokayev’s visit will provide Islamabad and Astana “an important and timely opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review” of bilateral relations, the FO had highlighted.
It added that the two sides will discuss new avenues for broadening cooperation, particularly in trade, logistics, regional connectivity and people-to-people contacts, as well as explore collaboration at regional and international forums.
This visit is seen as a win-win situation by both countries. For Pakistan, it will help Islamabad position itself as a land bridge between Central and South Asia and beyond. For Kazakhstan, it will help diversify its international trade amid turbulence in Eurasia in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.
