ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said Pakistan aims to raise bilateral trade with Kyrgyzstan from around $15–16 million to $200 million within two years, ahead of a Pakistan–Kyrgyzstan Business Forum scheduled in Islamabad today, Thursday.
The announcement followed a Wednesday evening MoU signing ceremony at the Prime Minister’s House, where Sharif and visiting President Sadyr Zhaparov jointly presided over agreements covering trade, connectivity, energy, ports access and business cooperation.
This is the Kyrgyz leader’s first visit to Pakistan in two decades, which both sides hope will accelerate negotiations on a long-delayed transit trade pact and push forward energy and transport projects linking Central and South Asia.
“We would be signing an MOU which is worth $200 million, that means that our present mutual trade, comprising of about $15–16 million will be enhanced to $200 million in the next two years,” Sharif said, calling the agreements signed Wednesday “a framework for structured, result-oriented engagement and closer institutional linkages.”
Sharif said Pakistan was ready to serve as a maritime outlet for the landlocked Central Asian republic, offering access to Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar to help Kyrgyz goods reach regional and global markets. He added that the two countries aimed to deepen cooperation in political relations, defense, agriculture, education, culture and tourism alongside trade.
