On 4 December 2025 in Islamabad, Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani held talks with President Sadyr Zhaparov of Kyrgyzstan to deepen parliamentary ties and expand cooperation across trade, connectivity and education.
Present at the meeting were Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Secretary Senate Syed Hasnain Haider and Advisor to the Chairman Senate and Ambassador to the ISC Misbah Khar, who joined both delegations for substantive discussions.
Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations with a focus on trade and investment, multi-sector collaboration, regional connectivity and people-to-people exchanges. Chairman Gilani underlined Pakistan’s determination to strengthen parliamentary ties with the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan through friendship groups, structured institutional dialogue and exchange programmes.
The Chairman highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries, citing shared values, cultural affinity and Islamic heritage as foundations for closer engagement. He noted regular high-level exchanges and cooperation on multilateral platforms including the United Nations, OIC, ECO and SCO as reinforcing political linkages.
Gilani said mechanisms such as Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission provide an effective framework to expand cooperation in trade, connectivity, health, education, energy, tourism and technology. He recalled landmark visits that shaped ties, including Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s 1995 visit, President Asif Ali Zardari’s interaction with Kyrgyz leadership in 2010, and his own official visit to Bishkek in 2011 when agreements on trade, military training and a Joint Business Council were concluded.
The Chairman also referenced his recent meeting with the Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament at the IPU Assembly in Tashkent, which he said helped advance parliamentary cooperation. He appreciated Kyrgyzstan’s constructive role in inter-parliamentary initiatives under ECO and OIC and welcomed the active participation of the Kyrgyz delegation at the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference hosted in Islamabad in November 2025, which adopted the Islamabad Communiqué under the theme Peace, Security and Development. He noted that despite a suicide blast in Islamabad during the ISC, participating delegates remained until the conference concluded.
On regional connectivity, Chairman Gilani reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Belt and Road Initiative and CPEC, stressing that the ports of Gwadar, Bin Qasim and Karachi offer strategic access for Kyrgyzstan and other landlocked Central Asian states. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to further operationalize the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement to facilitate regional trade and transit.
Discussing energy cooperation, he described the CASA-1000 project as a flagship initiative linking Central and South Asia through clean hydropower. He expressed Pakistan’s desire to deepen ties in defence, counter-terrorism, scientific research and higher education, noting that over 18,000 Pakistani students currently studying in Kyrgyzstan serve as an important bridge between the nations.
Chairman Gilani highlighted opportunities to expand cooperation in tourism, cultural exchanges, direct air connectivity and simplified visa procedures, stressing that people-to-people contacts are vital for strengthening bilateral relations. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to building a long-term strategic partnership with Kyrgyzstan based on mutual trust and regional stability.
President Sadyr Zhaparov conveyed Kyrgyzstan’s interest in expanding diplomatic and economic cooperation and pledged closer coordination between relevant institutions. He reaffirmed support for Pakistan’s positions at international forums and expressed confidence in a bright future for Kyrgyzstan–Pakistan relations. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq underscored the need to enhance parliamentary, diplomatic and economic cooperation to translate these discussions into tangible outcomes.
