Kazakhstan open to cooperate with all regional states: Envoy
The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, His Excellency Yerzhan Kistafin has said that the constitutional reforms recently implemented by President Kassym Jomart Tokayev serve the ultimate purpose of propelling the nation towards a brighter and more promising future. The envoy said this during a media briefing held in Islamabad, with the purpose of informing the Pakistani media regarding the elections and the address delivered by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during the inaugural session of the Eighth Convocation of the Parliament.
The Ambassador stated that the people of the Republic have progressed towards a promising future subsequent to enduring a critical period of constitutional modifications.
Says constitutional reforms to lead Kazakhstan towards a promising future
These transformations include reinforcing the democratic system, ensuring the safeguarding of human rights and implementing enhanced governance within the country, which have been achieved over the recent months.
In the course of his speech, the President emphatically expressed the notion that the welfare of the nation and the state must take precedence by means of exhibiting solidarity and integration for the advancement of the nation. In his presentation, he articulated his vision for the future targets of Parliament. The outlined objectives include expediting business activity, augmenting production potential, advancing infrastructural development, ensuring food security, enhancing human capital quality, providing support to the socially vulnerable segments of society, safeguarding human rights, and increasing the efficiency of public administration and planning.
According to the Ambassador, there was a notable degree of voter engagement evident in the election, as individuals eagerly sought to contribute to the pursuit of a more democratic and efficiently governed state, both in terms of social and economic dimensions. He added that the voter turnout was deemed satisfactory, while several international organizations have reported that the election process exhibited considerable levels of smoothness, transparency, freedom, and fairness.
The Parliamentary Elections were attended by roughly 800 international observers hailing from various regions across the country. The observers represented a diverse set of organizations, such as the Eurasian Union, the Organization of Turkic States, the Organization of Independent States, and the Organization of Islamic Conference. The rate of participation among eligible voters mandatorily remained at 54 percent. A total of 6.3 million eligible voters exercised their democratic privilege to elect their mandated representatives. The Amanat Party emerged triumphant, whilst the Respublica, a nascent political faction, succeeded in garnering notable support amongst the electorate.
Underlines the need for enhancing Pakistan-Kazakhstan trade volume upto $1b annually
The Ambassador emphasized Kazakhstan’s pivotal geographical location utilizing cartographic illustration, asserting that his nation is open to collaboration with all regional states as a conduit connecting Central and South Asia and extending into Eurasia. The North-South Corridor serves as a transit route linking Kazakhstan to Iran, traversing across several Central Asian nations, and culminating in the Middle East and Africa, ultimately reaching the Mediterranean Sea.
The Caspian corridor serves as a vital means of transportation and communication, linking the nations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey with Europe. The connectivity potential holds a paramount position within the framework of our foreign policy. He further highlighted Energy, Electricity, Infrastructure, and Food Security as key focal areas for the enhancement of the well-being of the populace of Kazakhstan.
During the press conference, the Ambassador responded to inquiries from journalists and communicated that the present trade volume between Pakistan and his nation amounts to $200 million. The Ambassador further acknowledged that this figure is significantly below the anticipated potential for bilateral trade between the two nations. Our objective is to achieve a minimum of $1 billion in revenue by leveraging increased connectivity, enhanced communication channels and expanded opportunities for interaction. He informed that a group of 130 entrepreneurs hailing from Pakistan recently journeyed to Kazakhstan with the intention of investigating potential commercial opportunities. Additionally, a Kazakh business delegation is expected to embark on a voyage to Pakistan in the near future, with the goal of discovering new pathways to bolstering bilateral trade and investment. The Astana International Finance Center was instituted with the objective of providing cutting-edge resources and facilities for bolstering commercial enterprises, he added.
