ASTANA,Kazakhstan (Raza Syed/Riaz Ahmad) – The relationship between Kazakhstan and Pakistan continues to flourish, marked by cordial ties that are expected to grow even stronger over time, according to H.E. Roman Vassilenko, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. Vassilenko expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s unwavering support and highlighted the mutual benefits of their cooperation.
During a media briefing with international journalist in Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry on Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko cited notable instances of the close bond between the two nations. He pointed out that Pakistan’s Prime Minister himself attended the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Astana last October and highlighted that Pakistan has since become a full-fledged member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Vassilenko further emphasized the frequent high-level interactions between the leaders of Kazakhstan and Pakistan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held two meetings with Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif last year, both in Astana and on the international stage. Additionally, the Speaker of the Parliament of Kazakhstan visited Islamabad in September.
The Deputy Minister expressed optimism about the continued frequency of such exchanges, noting that there are several significant mechanisms in place to bolster cooperation, including the Inter-governmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. He highlighted recent political consultations in June and the launch of direct flights between Almaty and Lahore in July as clear indicators of the relationship’s growth.
Responding to a query, Vassilenko acknowledged that, like Kazakhstan and Pakistan, many other countries in the region have a keen interest in a stable Afghanistan. Such stability, he noted, would be beneficial for land-based transportation between Central Asia and Pakistan, which had been a challenge for decades.
Vassilenko informed that Kazakhstan is actively engaged in economic cooperation with the current Administration in Kabul and provides humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people on a regular basis, particularly following significant events such as earthquakes. He pointed out that Kazakhstan had also extended humanitarian aid to Pakistan in the aftermath of devastating floods last year.
In summary, Vassilenko emphasized Kazakhstan’s desire to strengthen its ties with Pakistan and underscored the importance of both nations working together to help foster a stable Afghanistan. Such stability, he noted, would open up significant opportunities for land-based trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
