Pakistan has expressed readiness to provide Kazakhstan with access to its port infrastructure and facilitate transit of Kazakh cargo through the ports of Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar, Qazinform News Agency reports. This was announced by Pakistani Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, during a meeting with Kazakh Ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin.
According to the minister, the two sides are also considering the implementation of potential joint projects in free economic zones. Chaudhry highlighted Islamabad's interest in deepening cooperation with Kazakhstan in port infrastructure, shipping, trade facilitation, and regional connectivity.
"Pakistani seaports can serve as transit hubs for Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region, offering access to markets in the Persian Gulf, Africa, and Southeast Asia," the minister stated. Yerzhan Kistafin, in turn, underlined the potential for expanding bilateral trade and said closer engagement in the maritime and port sectors can unlock new avenues for commerce between Kazakhstan and Pakistan.
The sides also discussed strengthening institutional linkages and exploring practical measures to facilitate Kazakh trade through Pakistani ports. As previously reported, Kazakhstan and Iran signed a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement to build a Kazakh transport and logistics terminal at Iran’s largest port, Shahid Rajaee, in Bandar Abbas.