ISLAMABAD: Kazakhstan has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding economic cooperation with Pakistan by strengthening regional connectivity and promoting infrastructure-led integration, Ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin said on Monday.


Addressing a reception hosted for senior journalists at the Embassy of Kazakhstan, Ambassador Kistafin said enhanced rail, road, and air connectivity is essential for unlocking the trade potential of Central and South Asia. He identified the North-South and Middle Corridors as strategic initiatives that would significantly increase regional commerce and investment in the years ahead.


The ambassador said Kazakhstan’s stable economy and investor-friendly policies provide a strong foundation for deeper economic engagement with Pakistan. He noted that the Central Asian nation has a gross domestic product of nearly $300 billion, a per capita income of around $15,000, and single-digit inflation, making it one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.


Highlighting Kazakhstan’s domestic reforms, Kistafin said nearly 300 laws have been enacted over the past three years to strengthen democratic institutions and improve governance. He added that constitutional reforms have expanded representative institutions and encouraged greater public participation.


He credited President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev‘s reform agenda—focused on institutional modernization, economic diversification, infrastructure development, digital transformation, and human capital—for reinforcing Kazakhstan’s long-term economic resilience.


Reviewing his diplomatic tenure, which is due to conclude in the coming months, Kistafin said Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations have reached a new level, marked by unprecedented high-level engagements between the two countries. For the first time, Kazakhstan’s president, prime minister, and other senior officials held official interactions with Pakistan, reflecting the growing momentum in bilateral ties.


He said both countries have also established new institutional mechanisms, including a Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Council and joint working groups on trade, information technology, and education, to facilitate investment, commercial cooperation, and knowledge exchange.


The ambassador expressed confidence that stronger connectivity would enhance collaboration in trade, energy, transit, and logistics, helping transform Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations into a broader regional economic partnership.


The event concluded with Ambassador Kistafin presenting certificates of appreciation to senior journalists in recognition of their role in promoting Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations.