ISLAMABAD, May 27 (APP): Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin, on Tuesday reaffirmed his country’s commitment to further strengthening ties with Pakistan through cooperation, emphasizing Islamabad’s strategic position as a vital trade corridor for Central Asia.
Speaking at an event organized by Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) here, to launch a book titled “Examining the
Feasibility of an East-West Economic Corridor for South and Central Asia: Views from India and Pakistan.” The book is a result of collaboration between IPRI (Pakistan), the RAND Corporation (USA), and India’s IMPRI.
The envoy highlighted the growing importance of regional cooperation and Pakistan’s potential to serve as a bridge between landlocked Central Asian nations and global markets.
Ambassador Kistafin said Kazakhstan values its 35-year-long relationship with Pakistan and is eager to build stronger connections in multiple sectors.
According to him, leadership on both sides is committed to enhancing cooperation.
“Pakistan holds a unique position to support Central Asian countries in accessing global markets,” he said, noting that Kazakhstan, being the largest landlocked country in Central Asia, is actively working to improve its trade links through Pakistan.
Kistafin said regional connectivity is vital and mentioned ongoing efforts to link Kazakhstan with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. He added that after 2021, the situation in Afghanistan was getting stable. Afghanistan is an integral part of our regional cooperation.
Highlighting recent progress in bilateral cooperation, he said that last month, over 300 members from Kazakhstan visited Karachi and signed agreements worth more than $200 million. The visit, he said, allowed Kazakh stakeholders to witness Pakistan’s trade potential firsthand.
The ambassador pointed out two key challenges to deeper cooperation: limited communication and weak connectivity between the two nations.
He stressed the need for improved media collaboration and business exchange to overcome these gaps. “We must close the communication gap between Kazakhstan and Pakistan, including improving collaboration between the media and business sectors. Pakistan can act as a connector between landlocked Central Asian countries,” he stated.
Kistafin said Kazakhstan is shifting from a landlocked to a “land-linked” country by improving its regional transport and trade infrastructure. In this effort, Pakistani ports like Gwadar, Karachi, and Port Qasim are crucial gateways for Kazakhstan to reach markets in the Gulf, Africa, and beyond.
He also noted the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties and encouraged closer interaction between communities of both nations. According to the ambassador, greater public awareness can support long-term partnerships.
Kistafin concluded that closer cooperation could benefit South Asia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia by creating new routes for trade and economic exchange.
He stressed that Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, are looking forward to boosting relations with Pakistan to build a stronger network of regional integration.