Pakistan, Kazakhstan sign over 30 MoUs, aim to boost bilateral trade to $1 billion 

Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday pressed for expansion in commercial ties between Pakistan and Kazakhstan, proposing that bilateral trade be raised to $1 billion within the next year.

His call came as the two countries signed more than 30 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) spanning sectors such as petroleum, mining, and maritime cooperation.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the MoU signing ceremony, the prime minister pointed out that the current trade volume of roughly $250 million falls far short of the close friendship and untapped economic potential of the two nations. He urged both governments and business communities to work collectively and decisively to reach the $1 billion mark within a year.

Earlier, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan was given a formal state reception upon his arrival at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad. Prime Minister Shehbaz welcomed the visiting leader at the main entrance, where an official ceremony was held in his honour.

The national anthems of Kazakhstan and Pakistan were played as the two leaders stood together on the saluting dais.

A neatly turned-out contingent representing Pakistan’s three-armed services presented a guard of honour, which President Tokayev inspected. After the ceremonial proceedings, both leaders introduced members of their delegations before moving into a one-on-one meeting, which was later followed by delegation-level discussions.

President Tokayev is on his first two-day state visit to Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation that includes senior cabinet members and other top officials.

During their meetings, the two sides are set to review the full range of bilateral relations and look for new ways to strengthen cooperation across multiple fields. The signing of additional agreements and MoUs aimed at reinforcing partnership between the two countries also forms part of the visit.

As a symbolic gesture marking the occasion, President Tokayev planted a commemorative sapling on the lawn of the Prime Minister’s House.

Across Islamabad, key roads along the president’s motorcade route were adorned with the flags of both countries, along with large portraits of the visiting Kazakh leader.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a meeting with President Tokayev, according to a statement shared by the Foreign Office (FO) on X.

Welcoming the Kazakh president, Dar conveyed warm regards from President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as well as from the government and people of Pakistan

He noted the encouraging pace of high-level contacts between the two countries and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation in political, economic, and people-to-people areas.

Dar also stressed the shared determination of both nations to work together for enduring peace, stability, and development in the wider region.