President Tokayev Receives Guard of Honour at Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad
Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was accorded a warm reception and a guard of honour on Wednesday upon his arrival at the Prime Minister’s House for official talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet ministers and other officials, President Tokayev is on his first two-day state visit to Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
On arrival, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received the Kazakh leader at the entrance of the Prime Minister’s House, where a formal welcome ceremony was held. The national anthems of Pakistan and Kazakhstan were played as both leaders stood on the saluting dais.
A well-drilled contingent of the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force presented the guard of honour, which President Tokayev reviewed. Following the ceremony, the two leaders introduced members of their respective delegations before proceeding to one-on-one discussions, followed by delegation-level talks.
President Tokayev had arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday, where he was received at Nur Khan Airbase by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. A six-member squadron of Pakistan Air Force fighter jets performed a grand aerial salute as his aircraft entered Pakistani airspace.
During the ongoing talks, both sides are expected to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations and explore avenues to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors. Several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements aimed at enhancing bilateral ties are also anticipated to be signed.
As part of the visit, President Tokayev planted a commemorative sapling on the lawn of the Prime Minister’s House. Major roads in the federal capital and the route of the Kazakh leader’s motorcade were adorned with Pakistani and Kazakh flags, along with large portraits of President Tokayev.
During his two-day visit, President Tokayev is also scheduled to meet President Zardari and address the Pakistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum. The visit is viewed as a key opportunity for both countries to review bilateral ties and discuss enhanced cooperation in trade, logistics, regional connectivity, people-to-people exchanges, and collaboration in regional and international forums.
