Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry and Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Kistafin have expressed keen interest in expanding bilateral cooperation in the maritime sector.
The interest was shown during a meeting between the two leaders in Islamabad today.
The two sides held detailed discussions to enhance business cooperation through Pakistani ports, focusing on opportunities for joint ventures and trade facilitation.
Highlighting the potential partnerships within Gwadar’s free zones, the Minister suggested initiating joint ventures at Karachi and Gwadar ports.
He said these efforts are intended to utilize Pakistan’s strategic port infrastructure to enhance trade access for Kazakhstan, a landlocked nation seeking wider maritime connectivity.
The Minister stressed the critical role of Pakistani ports as gateways offering Kazakhstan and other landlocked Central Asian countries direct access to markets in the Persian Gulf, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
He further underlined Pakistan’s maritime sector’s dedication to becoming a regional trade hub by adopting innovative approaches and reinforcing international partnerships.
Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the upcoming visit of the Kazakh delegation to Pakistan is expected to accelerate progress on joint ventures and trade facilitation, strengthening ties through maritime infrastructure development, logistics and the blue economy.
He noted that these efforts, aligned with regional cooperation frameworks and Pakistan’s wider goal would boost trade connectivity across South and Central Asia.
The Minister said through this collaboration, Pakistan aims not only to enhance its port operations but also to position itself as a strategic trade and transit hub, benefiting from increased economic integration with Kazakhstan and the greater Central Asian region.
He said this growing partnership also highlights a shared commitment to deepen economic ties via maritime channels, transforming Pakistan’s ports into key gateways for Central Asia’s access to global markets.
In his remarks, the Kazakh Ambassador welcomed these initiatives, emphasizing that his country aims to use Pakistani ports as transit hubs not only for Kazakhstan, but also for the broader Central Asian region.
He also shared that a ministerial-level delegation, led by Kazakhstan’s Communication Minister, who also oversees maritime affairs, is scheduled to visit Pakistan soon.
The Ambassador said the delegation will conduct in-depth discussions with the Minister for Maritime Affairs to explore further cooperation in maritime trade and logistics.
