Islamabad keen to boost trade ties with Astana, PM tells Kazakh DPM

• Kazakh DPM Nurtleu calls on PM Shehbaz in Islamabad.
• PM says Pakistan, Kazakhstan enjoy strong fraternal ties.
• Kazakh DPM thanks PM Shehbaz for warmth and hospitality.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan was keen on enhancing bilateral trade, investment, people-to-people exchanges, and connectivity through air, rail, and road with Kazakhstan.

PM Shehbaz made the remarks during a meeting with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu, who called on him in Islamabad today.

The premier said that Pakistan and Kazakhstan enjoyed strong fraternal relations, and there was a mutual desire on both sides to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across multiple areas of shared interest.

Accompanied by a ministerial delegation, the Kazakh deputy prime minister is on his first two-day official visit to Pakistan.

While welcoming the Kazakh DPM, PM Shehbaz conveyed his warm wishes for President Kassym Jomart-Tokayev, whom he had recently met in China.

He indicated that Pakistan was attaching great importance to the visit of the Kazakh president and offered to send a delegation to Astana to finalise the various MoUs and agreements under consideration.

The two sides have been in regular discussion over the past several months and are expected to ink key MoUs and agreements during the Kazakh President’s visit later this year.

Kazakh DPM Nurtleu thanked PM Shehbaz for the warmth and hospitality extended to him and briefed him on his detailed discussions with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar earlier in the day.

He emphasised that the upcoming visit of President Tokayev to Islamabad would be historic and successful, and would open a new and exciting chapter in Pakistan-Kazakhstan ties.

DPM Ishaq Dar and federal ministers for communications, economic affairs, and railways, SAPM Tariq Fatemi, and the foreign secretary also attended the meeting.

Earlier today, Pakistan and Kazakhstan vowed to strengthen their strategic partnership, aiming to elevate bilateral relations to new heights across multiple domains.

In their opening remarks ahead of delegation-level talks, DPM Dar and his Kazakh counterpart Nurtleu unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the time-tested and deep-rooted bilateral ties in trade, economy, and other key areas.