Pakistan, Kazakhstan eye $5bn trade boost

February 4, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to work toward a formal framework to improve rail, road and multimodal connectivity, a step both sides say is critical to unlocking up to $5 billion in potential trade and investment flows between the two countries.

The understanding emerged during a bilateral meeting in Islamabad between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shaqqaliev.

During the talks, both sides reviewed the state of Pakistan Kazakhstan trade and identified connectivity as the main constraint holding back deeper economic engagement, according to the press release.

Kazakhstan’s trade minister pointed to large-scale railway and road corridor projects as central to boosting bilateral and regional trade, saying improved infrastructure could support employment generation and regional supply chains.

He reiterated Kazakhstan’s objective of positioning itself as a regional transit hub linking Central Asia with South Asia, China, Europe and the Global South, including access to Pakistan’s ports.

Pakistan, in turn, conveyed its interest in developing direct trade routes with Central Asia through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, while noting existing regional and geopolitical challenges.

Jam Kamal Khan said enhanced transit connectivity would not only expand Pakistan Kazakhstan trade but also improve access to wider markets, including Africa and ASEAN, via Pakistani ports.

Beyond transport links, the two sides discussed cooperation across multiple sectors, including agriculture and food security, pharmaceuticals, textiles, sports goods, leather products, mining and minerals, energy, and infrastructure.

Kazakhstan expressed interest in joint ventures in food processing, agriculture value chains and pharmaceuticals, while Pakistan invited Kazakh investment in mining, minerals and agri-based industries under its investment facilitation framework.

The meeting also addressed the need for structured business-to-business (B2B) engagement.

Both sides agreed that trade promotion bodies should focus on facilitating commercial linkages, market intelligence sharing and matchmaking, without adding regulatory hurdles.

To operationalize these discussions, the ministers agreed to work toward a non-binding framework document identifying priority sectors, trade targets and a roadmap that includes trade missions, exhibitions and exchange of business delegations.

They also agreed to prepare and sign Minutes of the Meeting to record agreed steps and timelines while formal agreements move through approval processes.

Both sides reiterated their intent to shift Pakistan Kazakhstan economic relations from untapped potential toward measurable outcomes, with connectivity, investment-led growth and private-sector participation identified as key drivers of future bilateral trade.

Copyright Mettis Link News