Pakistan-Kazakhstan Relations
Pakistan and Kazakhstan are two most important members of Central and South Asian geo-economic matrix, that share centuries old historical ties and fraternal bonds. As two important middle powers with lot of promise to shine on international geo-political firmament, both countries bring specific strengths to their rapidly growing special relationship. The relationship that blossomed continually after Pakistan’s prompt recognition of Kazakhstan soon after its independence in 1991, has grown from strength to strength. Pakistan’s geography confers special strengths on Pakistan as a natural connector between South, Central and West Asia. As a strong military and nuclear power, Pakistan is seen now as a security stabilizer in a region buffeted by the great powers’ competition and fraught security situation in Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.
Pakistan’s middle power status stems from its credentials as a security stabilizer and an economic connector linking landlocked Central Asia countries to the Arabian Sea coast through shortest possible route. With its large and productive population, mineral potential, agricultural productivity, IT savvy young population, and deep-sea port infrastructure, Pakistan has the potential to emerge as an important energy, trade, tourism and transshipment hub, connecting South, Central as well as West Asia. Kazakhstan on the other hand is the most important middle power in Central Asia with abundant natural resources, a sound economic potential, and dynamic leadership, pursuing a multi vector foreign policy, opening potentialities of economic connectivity and development partnerships.
As a member of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Organization of Turkish States, and Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kazakhstan is emerging as the leading regional as well as global power that believes in multilateralism, economic connectivity, and multi vector geopolitical alignment. Cultural and religious identity also propels Kazakhstan towards South and West Asia where countries like Turkey and Pakistan emerge as the natural allies. With a Central Asian DNA of over 65%, amongst Pakistanis, according to credible historians like Ahmed Hasan Dani, Pakistan possesses a natural affinity towards Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan being the richest Central Asian country is playing an important role as a regional stabiliser through facilitation of regional integration and bold politico-economic reforms. Kazakhstan’s bold political and governance reforms like establishment of the Constitutional Court and devolution of the political power at local level is being emulated by Pakistan. The Kazakh vision of industrial development and diversification of the economy to break free from the resource curse is also a model worth adoption by Pakistan. With an internet connectivity rate of 93%, urbanisation rate of 60% and reduction of poverty rate to 10% Kazakhstan has several attributes closer to Pakistan’s development aspirations.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan also share the same outlook on international cooperation initiatives like CICA, reform of global institutions like UN Security Council, strengthening of rule-based order, adoption of trade corridors like Trans Caspian Middle Corridor, Trans Afghan Railways Corridor, and Moscow, Aksarayskaya-Uzen, Torghundi, Herat, Kandhar, Chaman-Karachi- Gwadar Corridor. Under President Kassym Tokayev, Kazakhstan is forging close political, economic, educational, and cultural ties with Pakistan. Some of the tangible cooperative initiatives include the signing of commercial contracts and MOUs worth $200 million last year, scaling up of bilateral trade to $239 million in 2025, signing of 12 MOUs between 10 Kazakh universities with the leading Pakistani universities, commencement of direct flight, and easing of business visa regime for Pakistani businessmen.
Pakistan has a lot of trade and investment potential with Kazakhstan in the fields of textiles, leather products, agriculture products, surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals, defence products, and IT services. Similarly, Kazakhstan has a lot of export potential in agriculture, natural resources, energy, petrochemicals and fertilisers. From the present $239 million, there is a potential to increase the bilateral trade to $14 billion in long run and $1bn in near future. The information gap between the two countries’ investors is being reduced through business forums organized in both countries. One such forum has been organized in Karachi and another is planned at Lahore. More, however are required to increase bilateral cooperation and awareness about each others’ trade and investment potential. The Joint Intergovernmental Commission is a good initiative to oversee progress on trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The transport and logistics is another important area where both countries have potential to cooperate. Pakistan’s National Logistics Cell (NLC) is already operating its transport fleet towards Central Asia and Russia and has also recently taken over operation of Pakistan’s commercial shipping, and is therefore capable of offering lucrative sea and land connectivity to Kazakhstan through Karachi and Gwadar Ports. A joint transport-logistic consortium is also being planned to facilitate regional trade and economic integration, for unlocking the true potential of South-Central Asia trade routes. Trade and investment facilitation between the two countries is being facilitated through organizations like Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) which besides acting as a "One Window" business facilitation agency is facilitating business visas for the investors of the two countries.
There is a significant potential for cooperation between the two countries’ Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) sectors. Kazakhstan is planning to be the digital hub for Central Asia with over 10,000 IT trained experts. Pakistan is home to more than 100,000 IT professionals with 13 software technology parks. Every year more than 20,000 IT graduates and engineers are being produced, engendering a vibrant start up culture in Pakistan, an area where Kazakhstan can cooperate and benefit from Pakistan’s expertise. The 13th Pakistan-Kazakhstan Intergovernmental Commission has provided a useful platform for cooperation in IT where collaboration in IT related areas like AI, e commerce, and fintech can yield significant economic dividends.
Kazakhstan’s pastoral landscape, rich in animal husbandry, yields significant portion of valuable raw hides and sheepskin annually, which in the absence of proper processing goes to waste. Pakistan, with its advanced tanning industry and skilled workforce, can offer its expertise and technology to Kazakhstan including development of joint ventures. It would be useful to connect the Kazakhstan Leather Association with the Pakistan Tannery Association to formalize this partnership. The joint ventures with Kazakhstan’s raw material and Pakistan’s capital have great potential of export earnings for both countries.
Culture, educational exchange and tourism are other areas with tremendous scope for fructification of both countries’ soft power potential. With deep historical and religious ties both countries have a lot to offer each other. The removal of iron curtain imposed by the tyranny of history needs to be removed to facilitate the lost cultural linkages. Pakistan’s diverse geography and tourism potential needs to be leveraged to attract visitors from Kazakhstan in order to enjoy the legendary hospitality of Pakistanis, one of the most hospitable people in the world. Pakistani universities and colleges also have a lot of potential to attract Kazakh students both in STEM as well as social sciences. The legacy of Al Farabi and Iqbal Lahori needs to be revived to re-establish the lost philosophical communion between Pakistan and Central Asia.
One of the best ways to promote people to people contacts and tourism is to remove obstacles to air and ground travel along with easing the visa regime. The Afghanistan situation is a stumbling block to land connectivity, but it is not going to be a permanent bulwark. The building of land transport corridors and promotion of direct flights connecting several cities of both countries would be the best way to promote human connectivity. Already around 1000 Pakistani students in Kazakhstan, mostly the medical students, are forging people to people linkages but more needs to be done. Both governments must accord top priority to this oft neglected aspect to enhance people of people contacts through educational exchanges/scholarships, increased tourism and regular cultural exchanges through conferences, seminars, movies dubbed in local languages and frequent study tours.
On security front Pakistan has a lot to offer Kazakhstan due to its extensive experience in counter terrorism, special operations, desert as well as mountain warfare. Pakistan’s robust defence industrial base and training infrastructure also offers good opportunities for Kazakhstan to benefit from high quality and reliable military hardware and training infrastructure. Pakistan and Kazakhstan can coordinate counter terrorism, anti -organized crime and disaster fighting response through bilateral as well as regional forums like Regional Anti Terrorist Structure (RATS). Both countries can cooperate in forging a regional response towards unstable security situation and terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Kazakhstan are two important middle powers in South and Central Asia that have close historical and cultural ties which make them natural allies. There are complementarities and potential for economic, political, cultural and educational cooperation that would benefit both the countries. The present trajectory of politico-economic cooperation is on a steep climb because of the sincere desire of the leadership of both countries. The realisation of the economic cooperation potential of $14 billion and the breaking down of barriers to trade, transport and cultural connectivity are the laudable objectives worth chasing, as no obstacles are insuperable, if there is a will to restore the historically validated natural connectivity.
The writer is a defence and development practitioner and Director Research of IPRI, one of the premier think tanks of the country Dr Raashid Wali Janjua.
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Slovenia's Pharmaceutical Leaders Strengthen Partnership with Kazakhstan
Images | gov.kz
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Pakistan's Prime Minister welcomes Kazakh President at his official residence
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