By Zahid Shah

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Kazakhstan have formalized a Strategic Partnership during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s first state visit to Islamabad in 23 years, marking a historic milestone in bilateral relations.

The two nations signed 37 agreements across trade, security, transport, education, and climate cooperation, aiming to increase bilateral trade to $1 billion and deepen collaboration in regional connectivity.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of peace and joint prosperity, while President Tokayev highlighted shared commitments to multilateral cooperation and sustainable development.

The following is a joint declaration, issued by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry: 

JOINT DECLARATION ON ESTABLISHING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN AND THЕ REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

At the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan H.E. Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev paid a State Visit to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 3-4 February 2026. The State Visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Pakistan after 23 years is a historical milestone that elevates the traditional friendly relations between the two countries to the level of a Strategic Partnership and opens a new chapter of cooperation in bilateral relations between the two countries. The leaders of the two countries highly appreciated the steady development of the traditional friendly relations and fraternal ties between the two nations based on historical, cultural and religious commonalities. Noting that Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan, the two leaders appreciated that their multifaceted bilateral ties have significantly strengthened since the signing of the "Declaration on the principles of relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Islamic Republic of Pakistan" of 1992.

The leaders noted that unwavering adherence to the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity remain the basis for the stable and reliable partnership between the two countries. Both the leaders welcomed the growing understanding and partnership between the two countries in various fields, inter alia, political, security, defence, trade, economy, agriculture, transportation, logistics, education, culture, sports, and tourism, as well as deepening of interaction between the two sides in regional and international arenas.

The leaders reaffirmed that further strengthening cooperation between the two countries, in accordance with the United Nations Charter and based on respect for independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and universally accepted principles and norms of international law, will not only consolidate and expand their bilateral partnership, but would also positively contribute to the peace, security, connectivity, and stability of the entire region of Central and South Asia and beyond. Expressing satisfaction over the stable and consistent development of bilateral relations, the two leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment to further diversify and enhance multidimensional bilateral cooperation and decided to establish strategic partnership for the mutual benefit of the two countries and nations, with enhanced focus on the following key areas:

1. Political dialogue,
2. Security and defence,
3. Trade, Economy and Investment,
4. Transport and logistics,
5. Education, science and information technology,
6. Culture, media, sports and tourism,
7. Climate Change and Environmental Coordination,
8. Cooperation at the regional and international level.Political Dialoguе

1. The two leaders agreed to deepen bilateral ties and organize regular reciprocal visits at the level of the Heads of State and Government at a convenient time for the Parties for reviewing agreed areas of cooperation and providing guidance for further strengthening of the strategic partnership, including through new avenues for collaboration.
2. The two leaders also agreed to establish a biennial Strategic Dialogue at the level of Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister to promote further the work of cooperation mechanisms for comprehensive review and implementation of agreed areas of cooperation under the bilateral Strategic Partnership.

3. While stressing the importance of the parliamentary exchanges as a means to foster mutual trust, the two leaders urged for a better understanding of the legislative systems and developments taking place within the countries, as well as identifying new areas for collaboration to encourage the legislative bodies of the two countries to hold annual meetings, including within the framework of the Parliamentary friendship groups.

4. Both leaders also underlined the significance of holding regular bilateral political and consular consultations and welcomed the signing of the Action Plan for cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries for 2025-2026.
5. Appreciating Pakistan's conducive visa regime for the people of Kazakhstan, the two sides also agreed to work towards inclusion of Pakistan in the Kazakh e-visa regime to promote tourism, people-to-people and business-to-business engagements.

2. Security And Defence

1. The two leaders emphasized that pacific settlement of all outstanding disputes and resolution of all unresolved/pending conflicts through peaceful means, instead of resorting to unilateralism, in the region remained critical for ensuring a secure and conducive environment to realize the enormous potential of cooperation and connectivity between Central and South Asia, including Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

2. Recognizing the significance of direct, effective and efficient interaction between the law enforcement and special agencies of the two countries, the two leaders agreed to hold regular and structured engagements between law enforcement, border protection authorities and other relevant national agencies to develop close cooperation in countering terrorism, extremism, radicalism, illegal drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal migration, organized crime, cybercrime, as well as new and emerging threats and challenges. Both leaders also agreed to consider possibility of establishing a High Level Security Dialogue co-chaired by the Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

3. The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his appreciation for Pakistan's role as current non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and welcomed the initiatives aimed towards strengthening multilateralism, peaceful resolution of conflicts, and regional connectivity under its presidency of the UNSC for the month of July 2025.

4. Both leaders expressed satisfaction regarding the level of cooperation in the military field and agreed to continue collaboration in conducting joint military exercises and trainings, as well as vocational training and exchange of professional expertise between the military forces of the two countries.

5. The leaders welcomed the signing of:

The Treaty between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Extradition,
The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Combating Crimes,
The Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Joint Deployment in the UN Peacekeeping Missions.

3. Trade, Economy And Investment

1. Reaffirming the fundamental significance of economic cooperation, trade relations and investment partnership, the two sides agreed to explore and expand bilateral cooperation in agriculture, textile, machinery, financial sector, chemical industry, energy, modern technology, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments, furniture, sports goods, leather products, etc.

2. The two leaders noted with satisfaction the regular and fruitful meetings of the Kazakhstan-Pakistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation, and the Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment as well as the successful launching of the Joint Working Groups on Energy and Agriculture.

3. They underlined the crucial role of the Kazakhstan-Pakistan Business Council in establishing and facilitating direct business-tobusiness ties by organizing regular mutual visits, business fora, trade missions, exhibitions, including defence exhibitions etc.

4. To boost bilateral trade and investment partnership, the two leaders emphasized the paramount importance of further intensification of joint, regular activities within the framework of the above-mentioned institutional mechanisms.

5. Both leaders attached great importance to the practical implementation of the Roadmap for Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for 2025-2027, the Memorandum of Understanding on Electronic Trade Cooperation and the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Standardization.

6. The two leaders welcomed the signing of:

the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Transit Trade,
the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters,
the Memorandum of Understanding between the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of Financial Market and the State Bank of Pakistan.

7. The two leaders emphasized the need to ensure effective implementation of Memorandum of Understanding signed between Kazakh Invest and the Board of Investment Pakistan to enhance bilateral investments in both public and private sectors and facilitate the investment process, including by identifying Joint Ventures partners in both countries.

8. The leaders appreciated the prospects for cooperation on the platform of the Astana International Financial Centre, in various areas, such as financial services, Islamic and green finance, financial technologies, digital assets and crypto currencies, as well as international arbitration and legal regulation.

9. The two leaders also appreciated the opportunities offered by the Special Investment Facilitation Council for investments in the priority sectors of Pakistan including agriculture and livestock, IT& telecom, mines and minerals, energy, industry, tourism and privatization.

10. Both sides agreed to increase the bilateral trade turnover up to USD 1 billion in the upcoming years through effective implementation of the signed documents between the two countries and result oriented activities between the Governments of Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

11. The two leaders, while underscoring the importance of collaboration in the field of Agriculture for the mutual benefit of the economies of both countries, welcomed the signing of:

the Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research of Pakistan on the Cooperation in the Field of Plant Quarantine and Plant Protection,
the Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research of Pakistan on Cooperation in the field of Veterinary Medicine.

the Memorandum of Understanding between Kazakhstan Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture and Crop Production and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) for the exchange of generic resources of agricultural crops,
the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Cotton Research and Development between and Kazakhstan's JSC "Agricultural Experimental Station of Cotton and Melon Growing" and Pakistan Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI).

4. Transport And Logistics

1. The two leaders stressed the critical importance of welldeveloped, secure, sustainable and diversified connectivity routes between Kazakhstan and Pakistan for further expanding bilateral as well as regional trade and economic cooperation. They also underscored the crucial role of the two countries as transit hubs not only for the region of Central Asia and South Asia, but also beyond providing routes for the benefit of intercontinental connectivity and cooperation, including countries of Eurasia, the Persian Gulf, Africa and Southeast Asia.

2. Emphasizing the significance of cooperation in the transport and logistics sector, the two leaders welcomed development of close collaboration between Kazakhstani and Pakistani logistics companies with the aim to implement a multidimensional approach and to boost road, rail, and air connectivity between the two countries.

3. The two leaders expressed strong commitment to further promotion of the international multimodal transport corridors between Kazakhstan and Pakistan through "Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan", "Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan", as well as "Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan-China-Pakistan" routes.

4. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's initiative to connect Central and South Asia through construction of Trans-Afghan railway corridor. In this regard, the two leaders directed the relevant authorities to evaluate the development of "Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan" railway line.

5. To promote and diversify cooperation between the two countries in various fields, and, stimulate business-to-business ties and people-to-people contacts, the two leaders agreed to consider the possibility of re-launching direct flights in the near future.

6. They further noted the great potential for cooperation in the field of the maritime transportation and welcomed the signing of the Memorandum on cooperation in the field of information exchange and professional development between JSC National Company "Aktau International Commercial Sea Port" and the Karachi Port Maritime Administration.

7. The two leaders also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between JSC "Kazpost" and Pakistan Post.

5. Education, Science And Information Technology

1. The two leaders paid special attention to growing bilateral cooperation in the areas of education, science and information technology and welcomed establishment of the Joint Working Groups on IT and Telecommunications and Education.

2. The two leaders attached great importance to further deepening of systemic collaboration between relevant authorities, organizations, universities and schools to promote joint research projects; academic partnerships; and exchange of students, faculty members, knowledge, and best practices, etc.

3. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invited citizens of Pakistan to study at Kazakh universities, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in turn, welcomed students from Kazakhstan to pursue higher education at Pakistani universities.

4. The two leaders welcomed implementation of the following initiatives: Inauguration of the Al-Farabi Cultural Center at the Quaid-eAzam University of Pakistan in collaboration with the AlFarabi Kazakh National University, Inauguration of the Satbayev Center at the National University of Science and Technology of Pakistan in collaboration with the Kazakh National Technical Research University named after K.I. Satbayev, Inauguration of the Khoja Akhmet Yassawi Center at the International Islamic University Islamabad in collaboration with the Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University.

5. The two leaders encouraged the universities of the two countries in medical and other field specialization to open branches in each other's countries, in accordance with their requirements.

6. The two leaders further agreed to intensify cooperation and exchange of experience and expertise in the field of IT and telecommunications to develop joint projects in areas such as еgovernment, e-commerce, financial technologies, e-infrastructure, artificial intelligence, e-services, space technology, digital solutions, etc. The two sides also agreed to explore cooperation in the cyber security domain.

7. The two leaders also agreed to promote cooperation in the field of geospatial information, through exchange of experience and expertise.

8. The two leaders welcomed the signing of: the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication of Pakistan, the Memorandum of Understanding between JSC "National Information Technologies" of Kazakhstan and National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) of Pakistan, the Memorandum of Understanding between Autonomous Cluster Fund "Park of Innovative Technologies" (Astana Hub) of Kazakhstan and "Ignite" National Technology Fund of Pakistan.

6. Culture, Media, Sports And Tourism

1. The two leaders emphasized the significance of enhanced cooperation between cultural institutions and media communities of the two countries in order to deepen people-to-people ties and raise awareness of current political and economic developments, and business opportunities, as well as socio-cultural norms, and traditions of Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

2. In this context, the two leaders attached particular importance to the signing and implementation of:
the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the field of Information,
the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the field of Culture,
the Action Plan on Cooperation in the field of Cultural and Humanitarian Collaboration between the Ministry of Culture Information of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Heritage and Culture of Pakistan for 2026-2027,
and the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory and the National Academy of Performing Arts of Pakistan, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Khabar National Television Agency and Pakistan TV,
the Memorandum of Understanding between the TV and Radio Complex of the President of Kazakhstan and the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

3. The two leaders underlined the importance of cooperation in sports and tourism for enhancing people-to-people contacts between Kazakhstan and Pakistan.

4. The two leaders attached particular importance to the execution of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Inter- Provincial Coordination of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the fields of Sports and Tourism.

5. The two leaders noted with great satisfaction the growing cooperation between various sports federations and welcomed the inauguration of the Dostyq Sports Center, branches of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the "Qazaq Batyry" Mixed Martial Arts Academy, in Islamabad, as well as the establishment of the "Togyzkumalak" and "Kazakh Kuresi" federations in Pakistan. 6. The two leaders expressed firm support to the expansion of the bilateral cooperation at the level of local authorities and welcomed signing of the Memorandums of Understanding on establishment of sister city relations between the cultural capitals of the two countries Turkestan and Lahore, and textile hubs - Shymkent and Faisalabad.

7. Climate Change And Environment Coordination

1. In recognition of the shared vulnerabilities and opportunities posed by climate change, environmental degradation, and the rapid melting of glaciers in the high-mountain regions of Central and South Asia, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan affirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in environmental sustainability and climate resilience as a pillar of their strategic partnership.

2. The two leaders underscored the importance of collaborative research, knowledge exchange, and joint initiatives on water security, renewable energy, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable mountain ecosystems. This partnership will foster regional solidarity in addressing trans-boundary climate challenges while supporting global climate action in line with the UNFCCC, Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

3. Expressing their strong desire to contribute towards global efforts of combating climate change in accordance with the principles and provisions of the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, and protecting the environment, the two leaders welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the fields of Climate Change and Environmental Protection.

4.The leaders supported the initiative of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the 80th UN General Assembly to declare April 22 as the International Day for Planetary Greening.

5. The two leaders also noted the importance of holding the 2026 Regional Environmental Summit in Kazakhstan to join forces, develop coordinated solutions, and strengthen regional and global dialogue for cooperation on climate and environmental issues.

6. They also supported the initiative of Kazakhstan to establish the UN Water International Organization under the auspices of the United Nations, which could bring together the fragmented mandates of other organizations dealing with water issues.

7. The leaders also supported the "Cross Regional Glacier Resilience Initiative" launched by Pakistan to share knowledge and best practices and enhance cross-regional collaboration on protecting and preserving the glaciers.

8. Cooperation At Regional And International Arenas

1. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the high level of cooperation between the two countries at multilateral fora and agreed to make their interactions more robust within the framework of the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Economic Cooperation Organization as well as other international and regional organizations.

2. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for supporting Kazakh international initiatives, such as the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and acknowledging the importance initiatives such as the Congress of leaders of World and Traditional Religions for fostering interfaith harmony and understanding.

of 3. The two leaders highlighted the importance of successfully implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and expressed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in areas inter alia: poverty eradication, food security, climate change adaptation, loss and damage, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction.

4. Noting the convergence of positions of both sides on most of the international and regional issues, the two leaders expressed their willingness to explore the possibility of supporting each other's initiatives, positions and candidatures for positions within the multilateral institutions and organizations.

5. The two leaders discussed matters of peace and security in South Asia. They emphasized the importance of restraint and responsible conduct of all sides. They agreed that a peaceful settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions is imperative for lasting peace in South Asia. They also emphasized strict adherence to universally recognized principles and norms of international law.

6. The two leaders discussed the situation in Afghanistan and stressed the significance of stability and security in Afghanistan as an important condition for further unfolding of regional cooperation. In this regard, both leaders reiterated that Afghan territory should not be used for activities that pose threat to the security of other countries. In this context, it was emphasized that involvement of Afghanistan in regional economic cooperation and connectivity infrastructure projects would be beneficial for the people of Afghanistan and the region.

7. The two leaders agreed to further promote inter-faith, cultural and inter-ethnic harmony, mutual respect and religious tolerance, while supporting international efforts to combat Islamophobia and to strengthen solidarity among Muslim countries. The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan H.E. Mr. KassymJomart Tokayev expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan H.E. Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and to the people of Pakistan for the warm hospitality. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev extended an invitation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit Kazakhstan at a convenient time. The Prime Minister graciously accepted the invitation. This declaration is signed on 4 February 2026 in Islamabad in duplicate in Kazakh and English.

Islamabad
04 February 2026