ASTANA, Kazakhstan: Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Wednesday signed three agreements and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) in Astana to enhance cooperation in different fields including trade and defense.
The signing ceremony was also witnessed by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The Pakistani Ambassador to Kazakhstan Abdul Salik Khan and the Vice Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan Talgat Mukhtarov signed the agreement on cooperation in military training between the two countries.
Likewise, the President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Muhammad Adrees and the Chairman of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan Yermek Mazhitov signed a MoU on creation of the Joint Business Council to enhance trade between the two countries.
A joint declaration was also signed regarding the visit of the prime minister to Kazakhstan by Nawaz Sharif and Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Nursultan Nazarbayev led their respective delegations in talks in Astana during which ways and means to enhance cooperation in different fields between Pakistan and Kazakhstan came under discussion.
The two sides discussed to increase cooperation between the two countries in the fields of trade, economy, energy and science and technology. They also reviewed matters to facilitate the traders of the two countries to get their visas in easy way.
Likewise, matters relating to establishment of air link between Pakistan and Kazakhstan were also reviewed.
Prior to delegation-level talks, the prime minster and the president held one-on-one meeting and discussed wide range of issues to enhance bilateral relations.
“Pakistan wants strong economic and trade cooperation with Kazakhstan,” Sharif told the Kazakh president.
The prime minister said that both the countries have to increase their volume of trade. He said that Pakistan gives high importance to its relations with Kazakhstan.
The Kazak president said that lack of infrastructure is a hurdle in improvement of relations between the two countries.
