Pakistan, Kazakhstan Elevate Ties to Strategic Partnership, Sign 37 Deals

Overview

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issued a Joint Declaration establishing a Strategic Partnership covering political, security, economic, connectivity, education, culture and climate areas.
• Both sides signed 37 MoUs and agreements across sectors such as energy, mining, maritime affairs, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, IT, education and media, including an extradition treaty and a transit trade pact.
• Islamabad and Astana set a target to lift bilateral trade from roughly $250 million to about $1 billion, with leaders urging rapid conversion of MoUs into projects and expanded joint ventures.
• The partners endorsed work on a multi-country transport corridor linking Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, explored resumption of direct flights, and highlighted access to Karachi and Gwadar ports.
• A Roadmap for Trade and Economic Cooperation 2025–2027 and a joint working committee were adopted to drive implementation, while Pakistan also advanced parallel talks with Uzbekistan on facilitation, expanded preferential trade coverage and a $2 billion target.