Newspaper Article 5 hours ago
Pakistan and Kazakhstan share historic ties, growing economic, cultural, and security cooperation, with $14B trade potential and strategic connectivity
Pakistan and Kazakhstan are two of the most important members of the Central and South Asian geo-economic matrix, sharing centuries-old historical ties and fraternal bonds. As two significant middle powers with considerable promise to shine on the international geopolitical firmament, both countries bring specific strengths to their rapidly growing special relationship.
This relationship, which blossomed continually after Pakistan’s prompt recognition of Kazakhstan soon after its independence in 1991, has grown from strength to strength. Pakistan’s geography confers special advantages as a natural connector between South, Central, and West Asia. As a strong military and nuclear power, Pakistan is now seen as a security stabiliser in a region buffeted by great power competition and a fraught security situation in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s middle power status stems from its credentials as a security stabiliser and an economic connector, linking landlocked Central Asian countries to the Arabian Sea coast through the shortest possible route. With its large and productive population, mineral potential, agricultural productivity, IT-savvy young population, and deep-sea port infrastructure, Pakistan has the potential to emerge as an important energy, trade, tourism, and transhipment hub, connecting South, Central, and West Asia.
Kazakhstan, on the other hand, is the most important middle power in Central Asia, with abundant natural resources, sound economic potential, and dynamic leadership, pursuing a multi-vector foreign policy and opening avenues for economic connectivity and development partnerships.
As a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), Organisation of Turkic States, and Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Kazakhstan is emerging as a leading regional as well as global power that believes in multilateralism, economic connectivity, and multi-vector geopolitical alignment.
Cultural and religious identity also propels Kazakhstan towards South and West Asia, where countries like Turkey and Pakistan emerge as natural allies. With over 65% Central Asian DNA among Pakistanis, according to credible historians like Ahmed Hasan Dani, Pakistan possesses a natural affinity towards Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan, being the richest Central Asian country, is playing an important role as a regional stabiliser through the facilitation of regional integration and bold politico-economic reforms. Kazakhstan’s bold political and governance reforms, such as the establishment of the Constitutional Court and devolution of political power at the local level, are being emulated by Pakistan.
The 13th Pakistan–Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission has provided a useful platform for cooperation in IT, where collaboration in IT-related areas like AI, e-commerce, and fintech can yield significant economic dividends
The Kazakh vision of industrial development and diversification of the economy to break free from the resource curse is also a model worth adopting by Pakistan. With an internet connectivity rate of 93%, an urbanisation rate of 60%, and a reduction of poverty rate to 10%, Kazakhstan has several attributes aligned with Pakistan’s development aspirations.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan also share the same outlook on international cooperation initiatives such as CICA, reform of global institutions like the UN Security Council, strengthening of a rule-based order, and adoption of trade corridors such as the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor, Trans-Afghan Railways Corridor, and Moscow–Aksarayskaya–Uzen–Torghundi–Herat–Kandahar–Chaman–Karachi–Gwadar Corridor.
Under President Kassym Tokayev, Kazakhstan is forging close political, economic, educational, and cultural ties with Pakistan. Some tangible cooperative initiatives include the signing of commercial contracts and MOUs worth $200 million last year, scaling up of bilateral trade to $239 million in 2025, signing of 12 MOUs between 10 Kazakh universities with leading Pakistani universities, commencement of direct flights, and easing of the business visa regime for Pakistani businessmen.
Pakistan has substantial trade and investment potential with Kazakhstan in the fields of textiles, leather products, agricultural products, surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals, defence products, and IT services. Similarly, Kazakhstan has significant export potential in agriculture, natural resources, energy, petrochemicals, and fertilisers.
From the present $239 million, there is potential to increase bilateral trade to $14 billion in the long run and $1 billion in the near future. The information gap between the two countries’ investors is being reduced through business forums organised in both countries. One such forum has been organised in Karachi, and another is planned in Lahore. More, however, is required to increase bilateral cooperation and awareness about each other’s trade and investment potential.
The Joint Intergovernmental Commission is a good initiative to oversee progress on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. Transport and logistics are another important area where both countries have the potential to cooperate. Pakistan’s National Logistics Cell (NLC) is already operating its transport fleet towards Central Asia and Russia and has also recently taken over the operation of Pakistan’s commercial shipping.
It is therefore capable of offering lucrative sea and land connectivity to Kazakhstan through Karachi and Gwadar Ports. A joint transport-logistics consortium is also being planned to facilitate regional trade and economic integration, unlocking the true potential of South-Central Asia trade routes. Trade and investment facilitation between the two countries is being advanced through organisations like the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which, besides acting as a “one-window” business facilitation agency, is also facilitating business visas for investors of both countries.
No obstacles are insuperable if there is a will to restore the historically validated natural connectivity
There is significant potential for cooperation between the two countries’ Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) sectors. Kazakhstan is planning to be the digital hub for Central Asia with over 10,000 IT-trained experts. Pakistan is home to more than 100,000 IT professionals with 13 software technology parks. Every year, more than 20,000 IT graduates and engineers are being produced, engendering a vibrant start-up culture in Pakistan, an area where Kazakhstan can cooperate and benefit from Pakistan’s expertise.
The 13th Pakistan–Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission has provided a useful platform for cooperation in IT, where collaboration in IT-related areas like AI, e-commerce, and fintech can yield significant economic dividends.
Kazakhstan’s pastoral landscape, rich in animal husbandry, yields a significant portion of valuable raw hides and sheepskin annually, which, in the absence of proper processing, goes to waste. Pakistan, with its advanced tanning industry and skilled workforce, can offer its expertise and technology to Kazakhstan, including the development of joint ventures.
It would be useful to connect the Kazakhstan Leather Association with the Pakistan Tannery Association to formalise this partnership. Joint ventures combining Kazakhstan’s raw materials and Pakistan’s capital have great potential for export earnings for both countries.
Culture, educational exchange, and tourism are other areas with tremendous scope for the fructification of both countries’ soft power potential. With deep historical and religious ties, both countries have a lot to offer each other. The removal of the iron curtain imposed by the tyranny of history needs to be addressed to facilitate the lost cultural linkages.
Pakistan’s diverse geography and tourism potential need to be leveraged to attract visitors from Kazakhstan to experience the legendary hospitality of Pakistanis, one of the most hospitable peoples in the world. Pakistani universities and colleges also have significant potential to attract Kazakh students in both STEM and social sciences. The legacy of Al-Farabi and Iqbal Lahori needs to be revived to re-establish the lost philosophical communion between Pakistan and Central Asia.
One of the best ways to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism is to remove obstacles to air and ground travel, along with easing the visa regime. The situation in Afghanistan is a stumbling block to land connectivity, but it is not going to be a permanent bulwark. Building land transport corridors and promoting direct flights connecting several cities of both countries would be the best way to promote human connectivity.
Already, around 1,000 Pakistani students are in Kazakhstan, mostly medical students, forging people-to-people linkages, but more needs to be done. Both governments must accord top priority to this often-neglected aspect, enhancing people-to-people contacts through educational exchanges and scholarships, increased tourism, and regular cultural exchanges through conferences, seminars, movies dubbed in local languages, and frequent study tours.
On the security front, Pakistan has a lot to offer Kazakhstan due to its extensive experience in counter-terrorism, special operations, and desert as well as mountain warfare. Pakistan’s robust defence industrial base and training infrastructure also offer good opportunities for Kazakhstan to benefit from high-quality and reliable military hardware and training infrastructure.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan can coordinate on counter-terrorism, anti-organised crime, and disaster response through bilateral as well as regional forums like the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). Both countries can cooperate in forging a regional response towards the unstable security situation and terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan are two important middle powers in South and Central Asia with close historical and cultural ties, making them natural allies. There are complementarities and potential for economic, political, cultural, and educational cooperation that would benefit both countries.
The present trajectory of politico-economic cooperation is on a steep incline due to the sincere desire of the leadership of both countries. Realising the economic cooperation potential of $14 billion and breaking down barriers to trade, transport, and cultural connectivity are laudable objectives worth pursuing, as no obstacles are insuperable if there is a will to restore the historically validated natural connectivity.
Note: This article appeared in TFT.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are of the author and do not necessarily represent Institute’s policy.