Pakistan, Kazakhstan Set to Sign Landmark Deal on Gwadar Port Access

Pakistan and Kazakhstan are set to finalize a landmark agreement granting the Central Asian nation access to Gwadar Port, with the deal expected to be signed during the visit of Kazakhstan’s president in November.

According to The Express Tribune, a high-level Kazakh delegation will arrive in Islamabad in the second week of September to finalize arrangements. Kazakhstan has shown interest in establishing a goods terminal at Karachi Port to facilitate exports to the European Union and the United States, but Pakistan is pushing to redirect the initiative to Gwadar Port, aiming to position it as a key transit hub for Central Asia.

On Tuesday, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin, met with Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry to discuss expanding cooperation in the maritime sector. Both sides expressed strong interest in leveraging Pakistan’s strategic port infrastructure to enhance Kazakhstan’s trade connectivity.

The federal minister proposed joint ventures at both Karachi and Gwadar ports, highlighting the potential of the Gwadar Free Zone for economic partnerships. He also emphasized Pakistan’s vision of forming a consortium with Central Asian states to develop the maritime sector and strengthen regional trade.

Ambassador Kistafin welcomed the initiatives, noting that Kazakhstan is eager to utilize Pakistani ports as transit hubs not only for Astana but for the wider Central Asian region. He confirmed that a ministerial-level delegation, led by Kazakhstan’s communication minister, who also oversees maritime affairs, will soon visit Pakistan for detailed talks on maritime trade and logistics.

Chaudhry underscored the strategic role of Pakistani ports as gateways for landlocked Central Asian states, offering access to markets in the Persian Gulf, Africa, and Southeast Asia. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to transforming its maritime sector into a regional trade hub through innovation and international partnerships.

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