PM Shehbaz, President Tokayev Set USD 1 Billion Trade Target
Islamabad : President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, met Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad, marking a historic milestone in Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations as the first visit by a Kazakh president to Pakistan in 23 years.
President Tokayev was accorded a warm welcome upon arrival, including an official reception ceremony and Guard of Honour. The two leaders held a one-on-one meeting, followed by delegation-level talks attended by senior cabinet members from both sides. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir were also present during the engagements.
During the talks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the visit as a turning point in bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum of high-level exchanges and the effectiveness of institutional mechanisms such as Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Intergovernmental Commission.
Both leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties in political, economic, defence, and people-to-people domains. The Prime Minister noted steady growth in bilateral trade in recent years while emphasizing the need to unlock its full potential. The two sides agreed to enhance bilateral trade to USD 1 billion within the next two years, highlighting the importance of increased private sector engagement.
Welcoming the convening of the Pakistan–Kazakhstan Business Forum, the leaders underscored its role in promoting trade and investment cooperation. They also emphasized enhanced regional connectivity through improved road, rail, air, and maritime linkages, stressing the importance of transit trade arrangements and regional corridors for economic integration and shared prosperity.
The discussions also covered cooperation in education, culture, tourism, and energy, with both sides recognizing the role of academic exchanges and people-to-people contacts in strengthening long-term bilateral relations.
Reaffirming their resolve to deepen ties further, the two leaders expressed confidence that the outcomes of the visit, including the signing of 37 memorandums of understanding and agreements and a Joint Declaration on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership, would open new avenues of cooperation.
President Tokayev thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the warm hospitality extended during his visit and invited him to visit Kazakhstan at a mutually convenient time before the end of the year. The Prime Minister accepted the invitation and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with Kazakhstan for regional peace, connectivity, and development.
To advance economic cooperation, both sides agreed to establish a Working Committee comprising senior ministers and relevant officials to develop a five-year roadmap for expanding bilateral trade and economic engagement.
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