Pakistan, Kazakhstan to sign transit trade agreement that will allow goods to pass through ports of Pakistan.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan have reached a consensus to sign a transit trade agreement that would enable the movement of goods via Pakistan’s Karachi, Bin Qasim, and Gwadar ports. They also plan to involve other landlocked regional countries to establish multiple trade routes.
At the conclusion of the two-day Joint Intergovernmental Commission (IGC), both nations signed seven MOUs covering cooperation in areas such as transportation, commerce, culture, education, and business development.
The 13th IGC session on trade, economy, science, technology, and cultural ties was jointly chaired by Pakistan’s Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema and Kazakhstan’s Transport Minister Marat Karabayev.
The two countries evaluated prior achievements and agreed to new initiatives to enhance cooperation. A joint statement confirmed the intention to expedite the finalisation of the transit trade agreement and begin implementing the Roadmap for Trade and Economic Cooperation. A separate MoU on e-commerce was also signed.
Transport and connectivity featured prominently in the talks. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to regional trade corridors, particularly the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan and Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan routes, and agreed to promote them under the International Motor Transport Agreement.
They acknowledged the successful launch of a multimodal trade corridor from Jebel Ali, UAE, to Almaty, Kazakhstan via Pakistan as a landmark achievement for regional integration.
Both countries agreed to enhance cooperation between their logistics firms and explore joint ventures to streamline the flow of goods through Pakistani ports.
In agriculture, Pakistan and Kazakhstan decided to convene the first Joint Working Group meeting and share information on investment prospects. They also pledged enhanced cooperation on plant protection and quarantine standards.
Advancements were made toward an MoU between the State Bank of Pakistan and Kazakhstan’s financial regulator. Pakistan also offered to support Kazakhstan with training programs for professionals in central and commercial banking.
Both sides highlighted the importance of promoting tourism and cultural ties, agreeing to exchange lists of certified tour operators and conduct joint promotions. Kazakhstan expressed interest in opening branches of its Chess Academy and MMA Academy in Islamabad.
The parties welcomed cultural cooperation agreements and agreed to name streets in Islamabad and Astana after Abai Qunanbaiuly and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, respectively, as a symbol of mutual respect.
The two countries decided to set up a joint working group for higher education collaboration and student/faculty exchanges. Discussions also covered the possibility of establishing a science and technology centre named after K. Satbayev at NUST in Islamabad.
In the tech sector, both parties agreed to strengthen collaboration in information technology. MoUs were signed between NADRA and Kazakhstan’s National Information Technologies agency, and between Astana Hub and Ignite, paving the way for joint initiatives in digital innovation and governance.
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