Kazakhstan, Pakistan want to increase trade turnover ninefold in near future

ASTANA. Feb 4 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan and Pakistan have agreed to take measures to increase bilateral trade turnover to $1 billion in the near future, the Kazakh president's press service said.

According to data from the Kazakh Trade and Integration Ministry, last year's trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Pakistan amounted to $105.6 million, up almost twofold compared to 2024. The parties are therefore planning to increase trade turnover more than ninefold in the future.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who is on a state visit to Islamabad, addressed representatives of the media following negotiations with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the press service said.

During the visit, "important intergovernmental documents were adopted, focused on achieving specific results across the entire spectrum of bilateral interaction," Tokayev said.

"We have agreed to take specific measures to further increase trade turnover, setting an ambitious goal to bring trade to $1 billion in the near future. The importance of creating a favorable environment to intensify business ties between our countries was emphasized. Particular attention will be paid to transport and logistics projects designed to expand trade flows," Tokayev was quoted as saying.

During the negotiations, the parties discussed trade, transport and logistics, industry, energy, information technology as well as cultural and humanitarian cooperation in detail, he said.

"Trade and economic interaction is demonstrating rapid growth. Last year, the amount of bilateral trade doubled compared to the previous year. The roadmap for trade and economic cooperation for 2025-2027 is being effectively implemented," he said.

The negotiations also considered the possibilities of using the Pakistani ports of Karachi and Gwadar, he said.

"The development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and transit routes passing through Afghanistan was also considered as one of the priority issues. In this context, the parties discussed prospects for implementing a railway project along the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan route," he said.