Kazakh envoy for bolstering trade

LAHORE: Hoping to take bilateral trade to the next level, Yerzhan Kistafin, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, on Tuesday said increasing cooperation between two countries would also be helpful for the entire Central Asian Region.

Speaking at Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI), the Kazakh envoy said Prime Minister Imran Khan had discussed bilateral agenda and economic cooperation during meeting with Kazakhstan President in Dushanbe and the latter was likely to visit Pakistan during the next year.

The ambassador said the last session of Pak-Kazakh Inter-Governmental Commission was held in Islamabad in February last year in which it was agreed to establish three working groups on economic cooperation, energy cooperation and cooperation in regional connectivity.

He said that the new session of the working groups will be held in November.

He said Kazakhstan was the biggest landlocked country in the world and “we understand the importance of regional connectivity”.

Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Mian Nauman Kabir said Kazakhstan was the world’s largest landlocked country and had one of the lowest population densities.

“There is considerable potential for Pakistan to enhance its exports to Kazakhstan in areas of pharmaceuticals, value added textiles, leather items, auto parts, ceramics and furniture etc.