Kazakhstan ready to investment in construction of new trade corridors via China to CASs: Envoy

• Yerzhan Kistafin meets Pakistan’s Communications Minister, says Kazakh President to visit Pakistan in November

ISLAMABAD: Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Yerzhan Kistafin on Saturday expressed his country’s readiness to provide full investment for the construction of new trade corridors through China to Central Asian States (CASs), according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

The initiative aims to replace the existing challenging land routes with improved connectivity, thereby boosting bilateral and regional trade.

During his meeting with Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin shared that the President of Kazakhstan will undertake a two-day official visit to Pakistan in the first week of November, the APP reported.

The visit is expected to bring about major breakthroughs in bilateral relations between both countries. Prior to the visit, joint working groups (JWGs) between Pakistan and Kazakhstan will be established in the fields of commerce and transport.

He further emphasized his country’s strong interest in expanding bilateral trade with Pakistan and discussed the existing corridor from Kashgar to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan while he also proposed improvements to the trade route from Karachi to Chaman to Kandahar, presently available for trade.

Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan assured Yerzhan Kistafin his full cooperation, reiterating that Pakistan is committed to taking concrete measures for establishing trade corridors to Central Asian States through China, Afghanistan, and Iran.

Referring to recent international conferences held in Belarus and Iran, he stated that regional countries play a pivotal role in promoting cross-border trade through land routes.

Abdul Aleem Khan added that Pakistan aspires to develop an inter-country road network similar to the Karakoram Highway.

In the meeting, matters pending with NLC regarding trade agreements were also discussed. Federal Secretary for Communications Ali Sher Mehsud was also present in the meeting.