Abida Shaheen
Islamabad: Pakistan this week offered to provide port infrastructure and logistical support for Kazakh cargo through Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port, as the two countries explored ways to deepen maritime cooperation and strengthen regional connectivity.
The offer was made by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry during a farewell meeting with Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin, in Islamabad.
The meeting focused on expanding bilateral trade through Pakistani seaports, enhancing regional transport links and promoting greater cooperation in the maritime sector.
Welcoming the ambassador, the minister appreciated Kistafin’s role in strengthening Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations during his tenure and expressed confidence that maritime collaboration between the two countries would continue to expand.
He said Pakistan was keen to deepen engagement with Kazakhstan in ports, shipping, trade facilitation and regional connectivity, adding that stronger maritime links could unlock new commercial opportunities for businesses in both countries.
The minister highlighted Pakistan’s strategic location, noting that Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar Port could serve as key transit gateways for Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states, providing efficient access to markets in the Persian Gulf, Africa and Southeast Asia.
He also conveyed Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate Kazakh cargo through its port infrastructure and expressed willingness to explore potential joint ventures in free zones to promote trade, investment and logistics cooperation.
Ambassador Kistafin welcomed the growing momentum in bilateral relations and underscored the significant potential for expanding trade between the two countries.
He said closer cooperation in the maritime and port sectors could create new avenues for commerce and strengthen economic connectivity between Kazakhstan and Pakistan.
The two sides also discussed enhancing institutional linkages and identifying practical measures to facilitate the movement of Kazakh goods through Pakistani ports, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening regional trade and connectivity through sustained bilateral cooperation.
