President Tokayev’s Landmark Visit to Pakistan, Bridging Central and South Asia

ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warmly received Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the PM House on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, marking the second day of a high-profile state visit aimed at cementing a “win-win” strategic partnership.

The visit, the first state visit by Tokayev to Pakistan, focused on transforming Islamabad into a “land bridge” for landlocked Central Asian states and diversifying Kazakhstan’s trade routes amid regional Eurasian turbulence.

Key Engagements & High Honors

The Kazakh president was accorded a formal reception featuring a 21-gun salute and a guard of honor by a smartly turned-out contingent of the armed forces.

• Nishan-i-Pakistan: In a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civilian award, upon President Tokayev in recognition of his services to bilateral relations.
• Business Forum: The President addressed the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum, where he highlighted that bilateral trade—which stood at $53.7 million in 2024, is poised for exponential growth through better logistics and transit.

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Eight Educational Accords Signed

Even before the formal bilateral talks on Wednesday, a 25-member Kazakh delegation led by Science and Higher Education Minister Sayasat Nurbek finalized several agreements on Monday and Tuesday:

• Academic Centers: Three dedicated Kazakhstan Educational Centers were inaugurated in Islamabad:
  1. Al-Farabi Centre at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU).
  2. Akhmet Yassawi Centre at the International Islamic University (IIUI).
  3. Satbayev Centre at NUST.
• Collaboration: Eight MoUs were signed between top Pakistani universities (NUST, QAU, GIKI, NUML) and Kazakh institutions, focusing on Artificial Intelligence, medical research, and joint curricula.

Deepening Economic and Transit Links

In a comprehensive meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Kazakh Minister of Trade Arman Shaqqaliev, both sides agreed that multimodal connectivity is the “fundamental pillar” of their relationship.

• Port Access: Pakistan has formally offered Kazakhstan streamlined access to its major seaports, including Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar, to help the Central Asian giant reach global markets.
• Priority Sectors: Discussions focused on agriculture (food security), pharmaceuticals, textiles, and mining.
• Railway Corridors: The leaders discussed the strategic importance of developing railway corridors that would connect Central Asia directly to the Arabian Sea.

Strategic Context: The Central Asian Pivot

Pakistan is increasingly positioning itself as the “gateway to the ocean” for Central Asia. Following Tokayev’s visit, the President of Uzbekistan is also expected to visit Islamabad later this month to sign similar transit and trade agreements.

The Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum concluded with several private-sector MoUs in the energy and mining sectors. 

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