Nawaz stresses boost in Pakistan, Kazakhstan trade

In a meeting with President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana, Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif underscored the need for enhancing trade between Pakistan and Kazakhstan, which was much less than the potential.

Nazarbayev, who has led Kazakhstan since 1989, visited Pakistan in 1992. That trip resulted in the two countries establishing formal diplomatic and consular ties. Relations between the two countries began when Pakistan recognized Kazakhstan on December 20, 1991. On February 24, 1992, diplomatic and consular relations were established during an official visit by Kazakhstani president Nursultan Nazarbayev to Pakistan. Kazakhstan is an emerging market for Pakistani goods.

In 2015, President Nursultan Nazarbayev himself stated that “[I] will never forget that Pakistan is one of the first countries to support our independence”.

The two countries have a preferential trade agreement between them, but trade and investment volumes remain low. In 2009, Pakistani and Kazakh officials convened a working group, with Kyrgyz representatives, to discuss trade and investment cooperation.  Pakistan’s access to western China and Central Asia was greatly expanded by the reconstruction and renovation of the strategically critical Karakoram Highway in the 2000s. Since then, however, there has been little follow-up—both sides expect this leaders summit to lead to greater cooperation.

Why Pakistan is important for Kazakhstan?

For Kazakhstan, increased connectivity with Pakistan, including via CPEC, would help its goods find their way to warm water ports in Gwadar and Karachi—for a landlocked state like Kazakhstan, whose economic fortunes are tied closely to Russia, this sort of access could be incredibly valuable.

Vital statistics of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country and the ninth largest in the world, with an area of 2,724,900 square kilometres (1,052,100 sq mi). Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically, generating 60% of the region's GDP, primarily through its oil/gas industry. It also has vast mineral resources. Kazakhstan has an estimated 18 million people as of 2014.