Islamabad: Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan have reaffirmed their commitment to significantly boost their bilateral trade volume to $100 million. This ambitious target was articulated during the 5th two-day session of the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation held in Islamabad. The meeting was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Minister for Energy, Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, and Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Edil Baisalov.
According to Radio Pakistan, both nations agreed on several initiatives to diversify exports and imports and revive the Pakistan-Kyrgyz Joint Business Council. Plans were set to organize business forums, trade fairs, and B2B exchanges, with a number of Memoranda of Understanding signed to enhance cooperation across key sectors.
In the energy sector, Kyrgyzstan proposed a joint power transmission line project connecting Kyrgyzstan, China, and northern Pakistan. The two countries expressed interest in exploring electricity imports, renewable energy collaboration, and technical partnerships between institutions such as the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan and the Kyrgyz State Technical University.
The session also emphasized enhancing regional connectivity through logistics and transportation. Agreements were made to deepen cooperation in postal services, cargo and rail transport, and civil aviation. Pakistan proposed a shift for Kyrgyz airlines from charter to regular passenger flights, and expressed interest in Kyrgyzstan’s new air route linking with China. Additionally, Kyrgyzstan suggested Pakistani participation in a high-speed fiber-optic communication line project along the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan corridor.
Further collaboration was discussed in the financial sector, where the central banks of both countries agreed to work together on developing Islamic banking and financial instruments, supported by training programs through Pakistan’s National Institute of Banking and Finance.
In healthcare and pharmaceuticals, both sides committed to accelerating cooperation in medical education, pharmaceutical production, and surgical instruments. Pakistan welcomed Kyrgyz proposals for facilitating public procurement and registration of Pakistani medicines in Kyrgyzstan, with an interest in joint ventures for vaccine and biological product manufacturing.
Cultural exchanges were identified as essential for fostering people-to-people ties. The countries agreed to promote regular cultural exchanges, organize events, and partake in international sports events. They also discussed potential cooperation in cinematography and information broadcasting, with Pakistan proposing media content sharing and training programs.
Additionally, both sides looked to explore labor cooperation and established a Joint Working Group to discuss its modalities. They also agreed to promote joint training programs, academic exchanges, and institutional linkages.
The session concluded with the decision to hold the 6th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission in the Kyrgyz Republic, with dates to be finalized through diplomatic channels.
