The President of Kazakhstan, Mr Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will visit Islamabad next week. This visit comes at a time of crucial regional realignment. It is expected that this visit will not only strengthen the diplomatic relations but deepen the strategic partnership.

During the tenure of President Tokayev since 2019, Islamabad and Astana have come further closer and enhanced their bilateral trade. Traditionally, Kazakhstan and Pakistan have enjoyed cordial diplomatic ties. Pakistan was among those first countries to officially recognise Kazakhstan after its independence from the Soviet Union. Both the countries usually have similar points of view on most of the regional and international issues. Astana and Islamabad have been supporting each other for the stability in Afghanistan, countering terrorism, and strengthening multilateral forums like SCO, ECO, and CAREC etc.

Having a unique geographical location, Kazakhstan offers an excellent opportunity for Pakistan to connect to Russian, Central Asian, and East European markets. Kazakhstan, by landmass and resources, is the largest economy of Central Asia. Kazakhstan’s connectivity with Pakistan and beyond through Quadrilateral Transit Trade Agreement (QTTA) and proposed Trans-Afghan Railway project is essential for both the countries.

Gwadar and Karachi ports are few of the best options for Astana to enhance its international trade with South and South East Asia as well as the Middle East. Kazakhstan, being the core member of Eurasian Economic Union, provides Pakistan a chance to expand its trade ties with the Union. Both the countries have successfully shipped their road consignments through Afghanistan under the TIR agreement.

Another important area of collaboration is the energy sector. Kazakhstan is rich in hydrocarbons and if it exports its hydrocarbons through Pakistan to international markets, it will also add into Pakistan’s needs. Both the countries have expressed interest in exploring renewable energy cooperation, industrial power trade, and joint ventures in green technology—domains where future global investment is likely to gravitate.

Kazakhstan and Pakistan signify the institutionalisation of partnerships instead of signing the agreements and giving statements. It is expected that the visit will help in establishment of regular joint dialogues besides fomalisation of joint working groups. These groups can be in the fields of energy security, infrastructure development, banking, education, and culture.

Despite having cultural and religious similarities, people-to-people contacts remain one of the weakest areas in Kazakhstan-Pakistan relations. A recent trend shows that a few thousand students got enrolled in Kazakh universities. Unfortunately Pakistani universities could not attract Kazakh students. Being the future diplomats, students from both the countries should be facilitated in scholarships, exchange programmes and joint research opportunities. These academic bridges can cultivate a new generation of leaders and professionals with shared regional perspectives.

Another area of cooperation can be tourism. Both the countries have lots of attractions. Pakistan’s diverse landscape and Kazakhstan’s green pastures, with natural lakes and thick forests provide ample opportunities for tourists from both the countries. In order to achieve this objective, direct and sustainable air link needs to be strengthened.

Furthermore, diplomatic missions need intensive interaction with university students. One option can be the establishment of chairs in universities, which will help project their respective country through educational and cultural festivals.

Despite all this positive political rhetoric, the bilateral trade volume is still far less than its actual potential. Total bilateral trade turnover during 2025 remained merely $239 million. It is expected that this visit will help materialise the bilateral trade to $1 billion in the near future. Besides increased trade, bilateral ties in the fields of energy, infrastructure, social and cultural ties, and institutional diplomacy are also expected to improve. However, in order to achieve these milestones, it is extremely important to simplify the visa procedures, strengthen banking and financial linkages, easing logistic barriers, digitilisation of custom procedures, and encouragement of public private-partnership. enhancing people-to-people connectivity will also help achieving these objectives.

This visit is seen as a win-win situation by both the countries. For Pakistan, it will help Islamabad positioning itself as a land bridge between Central and South Asia and beyond. For Kazakhstan, it will help diversifying its international trade amid turbulence in Eurasia in the wake of Russia-Ukraine war. It also aligns with Kazakhstan’s multi-vector foreign policy. The real outcome of the visit will be in practical manifestation of the agreements without which tangible benefits to the citizens of both countries are not achievable. In an era increasingly defined by regional cooperation and economic interdependence, the outcomes of this visit could help shape a more connected, prosperous, and resilient South-Central Asian space. — The writer is a professor of International Relations

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2026