Pak – Kazakh Direct Flights, B-to-B & P-to-P contacts Stressed to Boost Cooperation

Islamabad, August 2, 2021 – Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan H.E. Mr. Y. Kistafin held a bilateral meeting with the Federal Minister – Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzaq Dawood and Federal Secretary Commerce M. Faruqui. During the meeting, issues of strengthening trade and economic cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan were discussed.

In particular, the parties reviewed the implementation of the agreements reached following the results of the 9th meeting of the Kazakh-Pakistani Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technical and Cultural cooperation, held on February 27-28, 2020. Mutual interest was expressed in accelerating the implementation of the outlined plans.

Ambassador drew the  attention to the need to resume the work of the Business Council between the Kazakhstan and Pakistan, which can and will contribute to boosting interaction between business circles of the two countries.

At the same time, in order to strengthen B2B, people-to-people ties, both sides noted the importance of opening direct flights between major cities of Kazakhstan and Pakistan, agreeing to organize negotiations with the aviation authorities of the IRP in the nearest future.

The need to diversify the routes for goods transportation and appropriate logistics solutions was also stressed. In this context, both sides noted the special importance of Afghanistan and the early stabilization of the situation in this country through a peaceful intra-Afghan dialogue.

The Federal Minister, in turn, informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan set a task for his government to intensify cooperation with the countries of Central Asia, primarily with Kazakhstan, which has a leading position in the region. In this regard, the Pakistani High official underlined that he would provide full assistance to promote the current agreements reached and future new projects.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to organize a trade mission of Pakistan to Kazakhstan in the autumn of 2021.