ASTANA: Pakistan and Kazakhstan held delegation-level talks in Astana on Wednesday and discussed ways and means to enhance cooperation in different fields between the two countries.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif headed his delegation while President Nursultan Nazarbayev led Kazakh delegation at the talks. Both sides discussed to increase cooperation between the two countries in the fields of trade, economy, energy and science and technology.
They considered matters relating to establishment of strong economic and trade relations and agreed that the joint ministerial commission would prepare a roadmap for increasing trade and economic cooperation. Both the sides reviewed matters to facilitate the traders of the two countries to get their visas in easy way.
Matters relating to establishment of air link between Pakistan and Kazakhstan were also reviewed. Prime Minister Nawaz emphasised that the two countries should increase cooperation in oil and gas sector. He invited Kazakhstan to become a part of the Chinese-Pakistani transport system.
He announced that Pakistan was keen to expand its relations with Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries. “We would like to expand cooperation in many spheres, including energy, trade and transport. Kazakhstan is welcome to join the China-Pakistan transport system,” he said.
Nawaz said both the countries have to increase their volume of trade. He said that Pakistan gives high importance to its relations with Kazakhstan. He said that Kazakhstan was a brother Islamic country and was just like his second home. He said that both the countries were bound in historic and cultural relations.
Kazak president said they value relations with Pakistan. He said lack of infrastructure was a hurdle in improvement of relations between the two countries. He appreciated the policies of the Pakistan government which resulted in economic stability. Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz and President Nazarbayev held one-on-one meeting and discussed wide range of issues to enhance bilateral relations.
