Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a major breakthrough during Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov’s first-ever visit to Pakistan. Under the plan, Pakistan will open its major seaports – Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar – to Kyrgyzstan, giving the landlocked Central Asian nation direct access to global trade routes. This move aims to boost Pakistan’s geo-economic strategy while expanding bilateral trade and increasing Pakistan’s role in regional connectivity.
Expanding Trade Through Karachi, Gwadar, and Port Qasim
Shehbaz Sharif highlighted that the trade offer forms part of Pakistan’s wider regional vision to connect Central Asia with the Arabian Sea. He said Pakistan stands fully ready to support Kyrgyz exports and imports through its ports, ensuring smoother access to Middle Eastern, African and European markets. The meeting in Islamabad discussed extensive bilateral, regional and global issues, focusing heavily on strengthening commercial partnerships.
The prime minister underlined that both sides coordinated plans to increase cooperation in energy, agriculture, education, defence, technology, and culture. He expressed optimism that a Pakistan–Kyrgyz business forum later in the day will generate around 200 million dollars in investment commitments. Current annual trade stands at just over 5 million dollars, down from 11.2 million in 2022–23, and Pakistan aims to increase that figure to 200 million dollars within two years.
Leaders Revive 20-Year Diplomatic Gap
Calling the visit historic, Shehbaz Sharif warmly welcomed Sadyr Zhaparov, noting it was unacceptable that a Kyrgyz president had not visited Pakistan for 20 years. He said the visit would inject new momentum into relations that dated back centuries through trade routes, cultural ties and shared religious heritage.
Both leaders agreed to increase people-to-people exchanges such as cultural festivals, tourism agreements and academic collaborations between universities. Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan will host cultural events in Islamabad and Bishkek to encourage public-level engagement.
Earlier in the day, President Zhaparov received a ceremonial welcome at the Prime Minister’s House. He was greeted by the prime minister, while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Pakistan’s chief military leadership also attended.
15 MoUs Signaled a New Era of Cooperation
A total of 15 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed, covering areas like commerce, energy, health and digital cooperation. Both countries issued a joint statement committing to deeper, structured long-term collaboration. Shehbaz Sharif noted that the MoUs would provide clarity and direction for long-term results between Islamabad and Bishkek.
Read More: Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov Arrives in Islamabad for Strategic Two-Day Visit
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Zhaparov separately and conveyed greetings from Pakistan’s top leadership. Dar briefed the Kyrgyz president on Pakistan’s economic agenda and upcoming meetings with business communities.
Dar earlier held talks with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev, focusing on trade, investment, financial technology, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. Both countries recently set a bilateral trade target of 100 million dollars under their intergovernmental commission framework.
Cooperation Through the SCO
Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan are partners in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which includes major nations such as China, Russia, Iran and India. Leaders from both sides agreed that the SCO remains an essential platform for regional security, trade connectivity and political coordination.
