Islamabad: Pakistan has called on Kazakhstan to take advantage of competitive tariffs and incentives under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and use Pakistani ports as gateways for trade with South Asia, Central Asia, and the Gulf region.
The proposal was put forward during a meeting on Tuesday between Kazakhstan’s Minister for Transport, Nurlan Sauranbayev, and officials from Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs. The discussions focused on enhancing regional connectivity and strengthening port cooperation.
Federal Secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah welcomed the delegation and highlighted the strategic importance of Pakistan’s ports and multimodal transport corridors, which connect Central Asia directly to the Arabian Sea. He emphasized that Kazakhstan could benefit from facilities such as container handling, logistics hubs, free trade zones, and off-dock terminals, with Pakistan offering regionally competitive tariffs.
Officials from the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim Authority (PQA) briefed the delegation on additional capacity available for Central Asian cargo. They also stressed the long-term importance of Gwadar’s multipurpose terminal for trade growth.
Presentations were made on investment opportunities and port infrastructure at Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar. KPT’s Acting Chairman Rear Admiral Atiq ur Rehman shared details of a planned 140-acre Maritime Business District, while PQA Chairman Rear Admiral (Retd) Syed Moazzam Elias underlined Pakistan’s role as an energy hub and the potential of railway-linked off-dock terminals for Central Asian trade.
Additional Secretary Umar Zafar Sheikh highlighted Gwadar’s advantages, including complete exemptions from duties and sales tax, off-dock terminals, and the coastal highway providing the shortest land-and-sea route to Central Asia.
Kazakh Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev expressed strong interest in expanding maritime cooperation and building a long-term partnership with Pakistan.
