Islamabad, a meeting between Honourable Mr. Muhammad Moeen Watto, MNA, Convener, Pakistan – Kazakhstan Parliamentary Friendship Group and His Excellency Mr. Yerzhan Kistafin, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, was held at the Kazakhstan’s Embassy Islamabad to advance bilateral ties and explore new avenues of collaboration. This meeting reflects the ongoing commitment of both nations to reinforce the longstanding partnership grounded in mutual respect, shared values, and cooperation across multiple fields.
During the meeting, Mr. Wattoo and Mr. Kistafin engaged in a productive discussion on enhancing the role of Parliamentary Friendship Groups to foster a closer relationship between Pakistan and Kazakhstan. Both dignitaries acknowledged the valuable contributions of these groups in promoting parliamentary diplomacy and facilitating meaningful exchanges between the Parliaments of both nations.
The conversation covered various key areas of cooperation, including;
Strengthening the existing bilateral ties between Pakistan and Kazakhstan through parliamentary exchanges between two countries;
Expanding joint tourism initiatives to foster cultural exchange and economic growth;
Regional connectivity, piece, security and sustainable development in the whole region
The Ambassador also congratulated Pakistan on the successful hosting of the recent SCO Summit 2024. Emphasizing the historic importance of the Kazakh Prime Minister’s visit to Pakistan for the summit, he noted that PM Olzhas Bektenov is the first Prime Minister of Kazakhstan to visit Pakistan. He expressed satisfaction with the summit’s outcomes, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation.
Both dignitaries exchanged views on exploring new avenues for mutual cooperation in the fields of IT & Telecom, through joint working groups. Mr. Watto invited Excellency for the formal meeting with Pakistan – Kazakhstan Parliamentary Friendship Group at the Parliament upon his convenience.
In their discussions, Mr. Wattoo and Mr. Kistafin recognized that the longstanding Pakistan-Kazakhstan relationship encompasses key sectors such as trade, pharmaceutical and surgical equipments, agriculture, tourism, culture and diplomatic engagement. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to parliamentary diplomacy, emphasizing the importance of parliamentary exchanges and people-to-people connections as essential components of this enduring partnership.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to further strengthen Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations, leveraging both parliamentary and technological channels to enhance bilateral cooperation.