President Asif Ali Zardari has appreciated Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Kistafin’s contribution to strengthening Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations during his five-year tenure in Pakistan.
Receiving the Ambassador for a farewell call at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President said bilateral relations had witnessed significant progress during his tenure, culminating in the historic State Visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Pakistan in February 2026, the first by a Kazakh President to Pakistan in 23 years, which elevated bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership.
The President stressed the need for effective implementation of the agreements and MoUs signed during the visit and for translating political goodwill into greater trade and investment. He said the target of US$1 billion in bilateral trade within two years was achievable through sustained engagement. He highlighted opportunities in agriculture, energy, mining and minerals, IT, pharmaceuticals, textiles and defence production, while stressing the importance of stronger road, rail, air and maritime connectivity.
President Zardari appreciated President Tokayev and the Government of Kazakhstan for the US$1 million grant to the Pakistan Education Endowment Fund and welcomed the opening of the first Kazakhstan-Pakistan Artificial Intelligence Centre in Gujranwala.
The Ambassador informed the President that Kazakhstan is working to establish railway connectivity with Pakistan and that six sectoral working groups covering trade, transport, energy, agriculture, IT and education were already operational.
He said Kazakhstan has established campuses of several leading international universities, providing students from countries including Pakistan with opportunities to study at reputed international universities at considerably lower cost. He noted that around 1,000 Pakistani students are currently studying in Kazakh universities.
The Ambassador said that Kazakhstan could serve as a potential market for Pakistani fruits, particularly mangoes, guava, falsa and other tropical fruits.
The President appreciated the Ambassador’s active engagement with the Government, business community and academic institutions. He conveyed his warm regards and best wishes to President Tokayev and wished Ambassador Kistafin success in his future endeavours.
