ISLAMABAD, Feb 4 (APP): Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Wednesday signed accords of cooperation in multiple sectors, including trade, investment, energy, education, sports, railways, artificial intelligence, health, and others.
The pacts were signed during the ongoing first two-day state visit of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Pakistan, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Held at the Prime Minister’s House, the ceremony was witnessed by both the leaders as the ministers and officials from both sides exchanged the documents.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan signed a landmark Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
The two sides signed a Transit Trade Agreement and an MoU between the Ministry of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Petroleum of Pakistan on cooperation in the field of petroleum, mining, and geosciences.
An Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters between the governments of Pakistan and Kazakhstan was concluded, besides signing a Treaty of Extradition.
Both sides signed a draft agreement on cooperation in plant protection and plant quarantine and an MoU on joint deployment in United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping missions.
The two countries also signed a Draft MoU between the Railways Ministry of Pakistan and the Transport Ministry of Kazakhstan; MoU between the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication of Pakistan and the Ministry of Digital Development of Kazakhstan; MoU in the field of climate change and environmental protection; and MoU between the ministries of health of both countries on mutual cooperation in the field of healthcare.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan also signed an MoU between the Ministry of Maritime Affairs of Pakistan and the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan, besides an action plan and roadmap on cooperation in the field of cultural and humanitarian collaboration between the ministries of culture.
An MoU on news exchange between Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) and the Republican State Enterprise with the right of Economic Management TV and Radio Complex of the President of Kazakhstan was signed.
Both sides also inked MoUs between Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training of Pakistan; between the State Bank of Pakistan and the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market of Kazakhstan on banking cooperation; between the Ministry of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan and Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority; and between KTZ Express Kazakhstan and NLC Pakistan.
The two countries signed an Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research of Pakistan on cooperation in the field of veterinary medicine.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan also signed MoUs for cooperation in the fields of information exchange and professional development; establishment of Ahmad Yasawi Research Center at the International Islamic University Islamabad; establishment of Al Farabi Center at Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan; and establishment of Pakistan-Kazakhstan Sports Center Dostyq.
An MoU was signed between the Foreign Policy Research Institute of Kazakhstan and the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad; between Pakistan Post and Kazpost, and between the National Academy of Performing Arts, Pakistan, and the Ministry of Culture of Kazakhstan.
A Program for the Implementation of the Agreement between the Kazakh Institute of Standardization and Metrology and Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority was signed, along with a cooperation agreement between Shokan Ualikhanov Kokshatau University of Kazakhstan and the National University of Modern Languages of Pakistan.
The two countries signed an MoU between the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and the Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture and Crop Production for the exchange of genetic resources of agricultural crops, and for cooperation in the field of broadcasting between JSC “Khabar Agency” (Kazakhstan) and Pakistan TV.
Both sides also inked MoUs between the Autonomous Cluster Fund Astana Hub and the Ignite National Technology Fund of Pakistan; between Satbayev Kazakh National Research Technical University and the National University of Science and Technology of Pakistan; and for the establishment of a sister city relationship between Faisalabad and Shymkent.
Astana Medical University of Kazakhstan signed an MoU of cooperation with King Edward Medical University of Pakistan University of Health Sciences Lahore.
An MoU was also signed between Astana IT University of Kazakhstan and the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences & Technology, Pakistan, as well as an agreement for cooperation in combating crimes between the two countries.