By: Asif Khurshid, Zaman Bajwa
Islamabad: The Global Diplomacy Lens conducted an interview with H.E. Yerzhan Kistafin, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan. During the interview, he highlighted key aspects of the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Kazakhstan.
The current status of trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Pakistan is growing, thanks to the goodwill from both sides. Our leaders meet regularly and have agreed that we need to elevate cooperation between our two brotherly nations to a new level. I must emphasize that our bilateral cooperation extends beyond economic or trade relations; it encompasses much more.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan have enhanced cooperation in various areas, including cultural linkages, education, business, and sports diplomacy. With complementary strengths on both sides, there is tremendous potential for further cooperation.
In collaboration with the National Logistics Cell (NLC), we organized multimodal cargo transportation of goods from Kazakhstan to Dubai via Karachi Seaport for the first time ever. This has established a solid connectivity between our countries, positively impacting our bilateral trade. We are prepared to boost cooperation in this crucial field, and we hope to reach $1 billion in trade either this year or next.
Ambassador Kistafin mentioned that currently, we have two main routes connecting Pakistan and Kazakhstan. The first is the Trans-Afghan route, which goes from Pakistan to Afghanistan, then to Uzbekistan, and finally reaches Kazakhstan. The second is the Karakoram Highway, connecting our countries through China and Kyrgyzstan. These are the primary routes we use today. Additionally, in collaboration with NLC and TCS, we recently launched the export of oranges to Kazakhstan, and this month, we began exporting mangoes as well. We believe that these routes are feasible, but diversification is key. We should establish as many routes as possible to provide different options. For instance, delivering goods to the western part of Kazakhstan is easier through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, which allows us to reach Balochistan. Balochistan is crucial for accessing maritime routes, which is why we are focusing on diversifying our routes. Another potential route could connect us through the Caspian Sea and Iran. This is why our Prime Minister decided to appoint the Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan as co-chair of our bilateral joint intergovernmental commission. Regional connectivity will be a top priority in the coming years because without it, development is challenging.
Last year, Kazakhstan launched direct flights from Lahore to Almaty, with a flight duration of 2 hours and 10 minutes, almost the same as from Islamabad to Karachi. Due to the winter season, our airline SCAT decided to suspend flights temporarily but plans to resume them this year. To resume flights, discussions on facilitating our visa regime are essential. Interest and demand for travel between Kazakhstan and Pakistan are growing, and more people are eager to visit each other’s countries. Creating a friendly environment for developing air connectivity is crucial. We plan to connect not only Almaty to Lahore but also Karachi. Over the next two years, we will focus on both land and air connectivity between our countries.
Regarding reforms in Kazakhstan under President Tokayev’s leadership, the ultimate goal is to strengthen democracy by redistributing power among different branches of government. The aim is to empower Parliament to act as an independent player and a crucial platform for developing foreign and internal policies. Additionally, the government is to be held accountable before Parliament. Over the past five years, we have implemented various amendments to our legislation, including constitutional laws. Following a presidential initiative, Kazakhstan now has a single-term limit for the president, starting with President Tokayev himself. This sends a clear message that everyone, including the president, is accountable to society.
Another significant aspect of President Tokayev’s agenda is to strengthen civil society, making it more viable and able to voice concerns. For instance, we have introduced online petitions, allowing citizens to raise issues and discuss them with the government. Such reforms will aid in the democratization and liberalization of our society.
Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was successful, and the SCO Summit held in early July was very productive. It brought together leaders from the region and, for the first time, included the United Nations Secretary-General, the President of Türkiye, the President of Azerbaijan, and Mongolia in the SCO Plus format.
Despite ongoing conflicts and misunderstandings among some countries, Kazakhstan believes that dialogue is essential for regional stability. This is why Kazakhstan has consistently advocated for multilateral cooperation since gaining independence. The SCO summit was another example of Kazakhstan’s successful multilateral agenda, resulting in the adoption of several important documents on economic cooperation, drug trafficking, terrorism, extremism, and other issues that require collective measures.
This year, Kazakhstan faced significant floods, one of the major challenges since our independence. Pakistan experienced similar issues last year. Climate change is a global issue that requires global efforts to address.
Regarding Kazakhstan’s involvement in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the ambassador stated that it will be mutually beneficial for both countries and the region. Developing a regional approach is crucial for fostering cooperation, including between Kazakhstan and Pakistan, and can play an important role in strengthening regional capacity.
Ambassador Kistafin concluded by expressing his warm feelings about visiting different regions of Pakistan and being warmly welcomed by its people.
Kazakhstan will host the Fifth World Nomadic Games in September, with around 100 countries participating and more than 2,500 athletes. This event is significant for preserving our nomadic heritage, including traditional sports such as horse riding, archery, kokpar, and eagle hunting. Some of these sports are similar to those in Pakistan, demonstrating our shared cultural elements. We have invited our dear friends from Pakistan to join us in these games.
