President Tokayev’s Visit to Pakistan ! Milestone in Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation
Tazeen Akhtar
President of the brotherly country, the Republic of New Kazakhstan, H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is warmly welcome to Islamabad on his first ever state visit to Pakistan. It is the first visit of any President of Kazakhstan in the last two decades and two years. Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Pakistan in Dec 2003.
Pakistan recognized Kazakhstan and established diplomatic ties soon after the independence of this largest landlocked country and 9th with respect to area in the world situated in North of Pakistan with a population of just over 20 million , equal to Karachi only, the lowest population densities at 7.4 people per square km but the economy is the largest in whole Central Asia.
President will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, comprising senior Cabinet Ministers and other high-ranking officials.During the visit, President Tokayev is expected to meet with the President of Pakistan, hold talks with the Prime Minister, and address the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum.
The visit will provide the two sides an important and timely opportunity to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral relations, discuss new avenues for broadening cooperation, particularly in trade, logistics, regional connectivity, people-to-people contacts, and explore collaboration at regional and international forums.
The forthcoming visit reflects the strengthening bonds between Pakistan and Kazakhstan, their mutual commitment to transforming historic and cultural affinities into robust cooperation, and their common desire for peace and progress in the region.
Kazakhstan calls itself , not landlocked but landlinked for its geo-strategic location in between Asia and Europe as it shares borders with Russia, China, and other Central Asian countries, Caspian sea and is a main route of the Middle Corridor, linking Chinese and European markets via Central Asia and Azerbaijan through the South Caucasus.
The economy is heavily reliant on non-renewable natural resources such as oil, gas, uranium, coal, and gold with a variety of substantial natural resources. Kazakhstan aims to double its economy by 2030 from 2023 levels, focusing on accelerating growth. As of 2023, Kazakhstan attracted more than US$370 billion of foreign investments since becoming an independent republic. Kazakhstan’s GDP is $301 billion and the country has envisioned boosting it to double in 2030.
Pakistan Kazakhstan enjoy close and cordial relations and growing trade and economic cooperation. They are not far from each other. They are just like neighbors next door. The doors of both states are open for each other. In 2024 Exports from Pakistan to Kazakhstan stood at $111 million while Pakistan imported goods worth $13.4 million. This means the trade balance is in favor of Pakistan. It is a rare phenomenon in the case of only a few countries in the world for Pakistan.
Both countries complement each other in the case of connectivity that is a major narrative at both the capitals to enhance trade and economic cooperation not only between the two countries but between the regions of Central and South Asia and beyond, between Asia and Europe. The term Eurasia is common nowadays when the connectivity is discussed.
Kazakhstan here again , is proud to have a central position connecting the region with Russia to Belarus at the gateway of Europe. Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) focuses on economic integration, including “seamless transit,” customs duty harmonization, and joint production projects.
Kazakhstan is the main route in the Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, or TITR) as well. It is a major multimodal trade route connecting China and Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Turkey, offering an alternative to Russia’s Northern Corridor and the Suez Canal. It combines rail, sea (Caspian & Black Seas), and road transport, linking China via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey to Europe, bypassing Russia and Iran, and has seen significant freight growth since 2022 due to geopolitical shifts.
Kazakhstan is keen to build infrastructure for connectivity with Pakistan for our position as a hub in between Central South Asia, Middle East, Africa via Karachi and Gwadar ports. For early development of contacts between the people and business community, Kazakhstan’s SCAT Air lines started direct flights between Almaty and Lahore a couple of years ago. It is a 2 hours flight that connects the cultural capitals of both countries.
Land connectivity is the next milestone that both sides are looking forward to. Here some media reports including a few with reference to the Ambassador of Kazakhstan were about a new and unknown so far rail route , that would reportedly connect Kazakhstan with Pakistan through a railway line from Turkmenistan , through Afghanistan with Pakistan at Chaman, Balochistan. Media reported an investment of $7 billion by Kazakhstan that would be linked in MoU between the two countries during the visit of President Tokayev.
Kazakhstan’s land connectivity with Pakistan , either rail or road is most feasible through Trilateral Train Project from Termez of Uzbekistan to Mazar e Sharif, Kabul, Jalalabad in Afghanistan to Kharlachi border point in KP of Pakistan for which the sides have already signed a framework agreement more than a year ago.
CPEC is also there to connect Central Asia with Pakistani ports. Kazakhstan may see the routes through Xinjiang province of China to Pakistan as well. The Middle Corridor can be connected with Tashkent , very close to Kazakhstan and Tashkent is already linked with Termez railway.
The President of the Republic of New Uzbekistan is also due in Pakistan back to back with the visit of President Tokayev. This gives rise to the impression that the connectivity MoU between the countries , most probably, is regarding the same Trilateral Train to be expanded to Kazakhstan.
Ambassador Mr. Yerzhan Kistafin, in a recent discussion, held particularly on the visit of his President, elaborated on the key areas and practical mechanisms for implementing cooperation between Astana and Islamabad, emphasizing the importance of strengthening political dialogue, trade and economic ties, regional connectivity, cooperation in the field of security, cultural exchange, and interaction within international platforms.
The Embassy of Kazakhstan has been working on building a base for bilateral cooperation in the last three years. More than 500 businessmen from Kazakhstan visited Pakistan to understand the market. 10 main universities of Kazakhstan are ready to open their campuses in Pakistan.
Political will is present at both sides to take the economic ties to a remarkable level as the leaders have been meeting at different international forums. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal COAS General Asim Munir had visited Astana.
The latest high level visit of any Kazakh leader to Pakistan was the participation of Mr. Oljas Bektenov, The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan for the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization session in Oct 2024. Sky is the limit if we see the potential available. Now it is up to the concerned officials , they succeed in taping what time is ripe for or they need more time.
