Tazeen Akhtar | Islamabad (IP Rights Reserved) | (Copy with Credit is Allowed)
(Pakistan’s relations with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are very vast topic that can not be covered in one article. Here we are reviewing some important recent developments only)
Ambassador of Azerbaijan, H.E Khazar Nadir Farhad Oglu and Ambassador of Kazakhstan, H.E Yerzhan Kistafin were bid farewell in Islamabad by the local businessmen couple of days ago at Serena Hotels in which their services to strengthening the relations and cooperation of their countries with Pakistan were appreciated and they were wished for the best in their next assignments.
Dean of Diplomatic Corp, Ambassador Turkmenistan H.E Atadjan Movlamov, Additional Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador H.E Hamid Asghar, Director General Central Asia Desk at MOFA Ambassador H.E Hasan Ali Zaigham, (Alphabetically) Ambassadors of Austria, Brunei, Egypt, Iran,Myanmar,Mauritius, Nepal, Somalia, Turkiye, Uzbekistan were also present at the occasion.
Reciprocal visits of the Presidents and Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to and from Pakistan were the culmination of relations in recent years. Ambassadors (Alphabetically) of Azerbaijan H.E Farhadov and H.E Kistafin have the credit to coordinate and manage the highest level intercations.
Azerbaijan and Pakistan
Pakistan and Azerbaijan share a robust and enduring strategic partnership that dates back to Azerbaijan’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Pakistan was among the first nations to officially recognize Azerbaijan and establish diplomatic relations in June 1992.
Recent State Visits & Bilateral Meetings November 2025:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid a two-day official visit to Baku, where he met with President Ilham Aliyev. The two leaders reviewed bilateral investments and discussed expanding multi-dimensional cooperation in defense, connectivity, and energy.
May 2025: Prime Minister Sharif traveled to Lachin, Azerbaijan, where he held a trilateral meeting with President Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
April 2025: A high-level Azerbaijani business delegation, headed by Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, visited Pakistan to advance specific investment projects.
February 2025: Prime Minister Sharif visited Azerbaijan, where the two nations pledged to boost bilateral investments and discussed major energy and defense agreements.
July 2024: Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev paid a major two-day state visit to Islamabad from July 11–12, 2024, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The historic trip focused on strengthening strategic partnerships, with both nations pledging to boost bilateral trade to $2 billion and signing multiple agreements across energy, infrastructure, and connectivity sectors.
These exchanges reflect a close, longstanding fraternal bond. Pakistan consistently supports Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue, while Azerbaijan backs Pakistan’s stance on the Kashmir issue. Recent visits have focused heavily on concrete economic cooperation, including Azerbaijani investments in Pakistan and multi-billion dollar defense agreements.
1. Diplomatic and Strategic ConvergenceTerritorial Integrity:
Pakistan has consistently supported Azerbaijan regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is one of the few countries that does not recognize Armenia as a state due to this issue.
Conversely, Azerbaijan is a staunch supporter of Pakistan’s stance on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and is an active member of the OIC Contact Group on Kashmir.
Trilateral Alliance: The two nations, alongside Turkey, form a strong tripartite alliance. Their shared religious, cultural, and political ties have led to joint military exercises (such as the “Three Brothers” drills) and mutual backing on the international stage.
2. Economic and Energy CooperationInvestment & Energy:
Trade and investments between the two nations have seen significant growth. Azerbaijan has pledged billions of dollars in investments toward Pakistan’s infrastructure, energy, and mining sectors.
LNG and Oil: Collaborations are continuously expanding. Framework agreements have allowed Pakistan to procure Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Azerbaijan, and both countries partner on regional white oil pipeline projects to secure energy supplies
3. Defense Ties
Military cooperation is a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. This spans joint equipment production, defense training programs, and collaboration in military manufacturing.
Pakistan supported Azerbaijan in Second Karabakh War. The War was a 44-day armed conflict in 2020 between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Lasting from September 27 to November 10, 2020, it resulted in a decisive Azerbaijani victory that reclaimed significant territories previously occupied by Armenia since the First Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Azerbaijan has officially purchased and integrated JF-17C Block III fighter jets from Pakistan. Baku initially signed a $1.6 billion contract for the aircraft, and later expanded the agreement to procure a total of 40 JF-17s. These advanced, multirole combat aircraft are actively operating within the Azerbaijani Air Force.
The multi-billion dollar acquisition represents a major step in modernizing Azerbaijan’s military, replacing aging Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-25 fleets. The JF-17 Block III—co-developed by Pakistan and China—features Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, modern avionics, and compatibility with advanced beyond-visual-range missiles like the Chinese PL-15E. This defense agreement is Pakistan’s largest-ever military export contract.
4. Cultural and Humanitarian Aid
The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has actively contributed to humanitarian and developmental projects in Pakistan, notably building schools in earthquake-hit areas (such as Muzaffarabad) and providing medical support through the Edhi Foundation.People-to-people ties and tourism have grown steadily, facilitated by direct air connectivity between the two countries.
Kazakhstan and Pakistan
Pakistan and Kazakhstan’s economic cooperation is anchored in a newly established strategic partnership, finalized during a high-level presidential summit in Islamabad where both nations committed to expanding bilateral trade to $1 billion. Key initiatives include transit trade agreements, multi-billion-rupee joint venture investments, and improved cross-border banking frameworks.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a historic two-day state visit to Pakistan on February 3-4, 2026, marking the first visit by a Kazakh head of state in 23 years. Hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the visit resulted in the signing of 37 agreements to boost their trade volume to $1 billion and elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, with a heavy focus on trade and $7 billion rail connectivity through Afghanistan.
Kazakhstan and Pakistan enjoy a strategic partnership focused on transit trade, regional connectivity, and economic cooperation. Bilateral ties were significantly elevated in President Tokayev’s historic state visit to Islamabad.
Core Pillars of Bilateral Economic CooperationTrade Goals & Banking:
Bilateral trade has historically hovered around $250 million, but the newly enacted Roadmap for Trade and Economic Cooperation (2025–2027) targets rapid expansion. To facilitate this, financial institutions like Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and Meezan Bank have finalized agreements with Freedom Bank Kazakhstan and Baiterek Holding to support cross-border settlements and correspondent banking.
Transit, Trade & Logistics
Historically, bilateral trade between the two nations hovered around $250 million, a figure both governments view as far below their true economic potential. During the February 2026 presidential summit, Pakistan and Kazakhstan signed a Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership, expanding cooperation across agriculture, security, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and digital regulation. Several private commercial agreements were also concluded, including partnerships in chemicals, information technology, and Islamic finance.
As a landlocked but landlinked nation, Kazakhstan views Pakistan’s seaports (Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar) as crucial southern gateways to international markets. The two countries agreed to the Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transport corridor and are implementing transit frameworks through the Quadrilateral Transit Trade Agreement (QTTA).
Kazakhstan is actively seeking reliable southern routes to connect with global markets. In turn, Pakistan provides vital geographic access to the Arabian Sea.
Joint Ventures & Industrial Investment
Over 30 commercial agreements have been finalized across various sectors, including:A $108 million contract between Falcon EuroBus LLP (Kazakhstan) and QCC International (Pakistan) for electric bus manufacturing.A $20 million sugar production joint venture between KazFoodProducts and Pakistan’s Almoiz Group located in the Zhetysu Region.A joint investment platform created by the Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund and Pakistan’s Fauji Group to identify further project targets.
Pakistan primarily exports agricultural and manufactured goods—such as rice, bovine meat, and citrus—to Kazakhstan, while importing raw materials and agricultural products like onions and linseed. To facilitate these transactions, the two countries are working to simplify business visa procedures (with the potential for five-year multiple-entry visas for Chamber members) and are launching direct flights.
( Sources : Pakistan in the World media group – Articles by Editor Tazeen Akhtar – Astana Times – Gov of Pakistan – Gov of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan and related organizations )
