Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu arrived in Islamabad on Monday for a two-day official visit aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Kazakhstan.
Nurtleu was welcomed at the airport by Additional Secretary West Asia Syed Ali Asad Gillani, alongside other senior officials, according to a statement by the Foreign Office (FO). He is accompanied by a high-level 13-member delegation, which also includes Kazakhstan’s minister of transport.
The FO confirmed that meetings of the Joint Working Groups (JWGs) on Agriculture and Information Technology will take place on the sidelines of the visit.
During his stay, Nurtleu is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, followed by delegation-level talks between the two sides. He is also expected to call on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to the FO, the discussions will serve as an opportunity to review preparations for the upcoming Presidential visit from Kazakhstan.
The talks will also cover the entire range of Pakistan-Kazakhstan cooperation, with particular emphasis on boosting trade and investment, enhancing cooperation in agriculture, education, cultural and tourism exchanges, and improving regional connectivity and logistics. Both sides are also expected to explore avenues for collaboration at multilateral fora.
In a statement, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, “The visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan will further cement the longstanding Pakistan-Kazakhstan ties and contribute to deepening bilateral engagements in diverse fields, for the benefit of the people of the two countries.”
The visit underscores the growing importance both countries attach to expanding cooperation, particularly in the economic and connectivity domains, as Islamabad continues to strengthen partnerships across Central Asia.
