Kazakhstan is interested in gaining access to Pakistani seaports, such as Gwadar and Karachi, to promote exports to the markets of Pakistan and South Asia and to increase the attractiveness of the transit potential of the two countries in entering the markets of the Persian Gulf and East Africa. This was stated by the Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliyev last week during a meeting in Astana with the First Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs of Pakistan Kazim Niyaz.
According to Shakkaliyev, Pakistan is an important trading partner of Kazakhstan.
At the meeting, the parties outlined the main potential export items that could expand the range of mutual trade turnover. Thus, Kazakhstan has great opportunities for exporting petrochemical, metallurgical, food, chemical, machine-building, pharmaceutical industries, as well as vehicles. In turn, Pakistan is ready to export seafood, construction materials, sports equipment, textiles, and agricultural products to Kazakhstan.
However, transport connectivity is a key aspect of the plans to expand the trade. Today, Kazakhstan and Pakistan have the possibility of mutual supplies by land routes through the territories of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan and using seaports through the North-South corridor, through Iran or through China.
Another direction of transportation may pass through the Karakoram highway through the territories of Kyrgyzstan, China and further to Pakistan, the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan says.
In addition, in order to develop transport logistics, Qaztrade Center for Trade Policy Development and the Pakistani logistics company ‘National Logistics Cell’ have reached an agreement to sign an agreement on mutually beneficial cooperation by organizing logistics services and providing special tariff conditions.
According to experts, the time of cargo transportation from the southern borders of Kazakhstan to the seaport of Karachi– the largest port in Asia on the coast of the Arabian Port, is about 11-12 days. At the same time, Kazakhstan also has an impressive transit potential, which can be harnessed by Pakistani businessmen desiring to gain access to the CIS markets.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 13 international transport corridors traverse through this Central Asia country.
The development of closer trade ties between Kazakhstan and Pakistan is expected to benefit both countries. Kazakhstan will gain access to new markets for its exports, while Pakistan will gain access to a new source of imports and a new transit route to Central Asia and beyond. ///nCa, 26 December 2023