Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his determination to raise bilateral trade between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan to $200 million over the next two years, stressing the need for stronger economic engagement between the two countries.Speaking at a joint press conference with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Japarov at the presidential palace in Bishkek, the prime minister said the existing trade volume did not reflect the strength of relations between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said bilateral trade currently stood at around $16 million, describing the figure as far below the level that could be expected given the close friendship and strong ties between the two countries. He called for greater interaction and expanded economic cooperation to unlock the potential of bilateral relations.During the ceremony Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan also signed 16 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering multiple sectors.

The documents included a programme of cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries, along with an MoU between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and the Kyrgyz National Institute for Strategic Initiatives. The two sides also exchanged documents concerning a transit trade agreement and an MoU aimed at enhancing cooperation between their education ministries. An MoU was signed to strengthen cooperation against narcotics, psychotropic substances and smuggling.

Another agreement between the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health focused on cooperation in the field of medical education. Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan also reached an agreement on scientific and technical cooperation, while the two countries signed an MoU covering environmental protection and climate change. Documents were also exchanged to promote trade cooperation between chambers of commerce, while another MoU was concluded to facilitate collaboration in the virtual assets sector.

A separate agreement was signed to establish a sister-city relationship between Lahore and Osh, a city in Kyrgyzstan. The National Defence University Islamabad and the Kyrgyz National Institute for Strategic Initiatives also signed an MoU to promote cooperation in research.The agreements further included cooperation between the postal departments of Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan in postal services and e-commerce, as well as an agreement concerning the extradition of accused persons.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Sadyr Zhaparov also signed a joint declaration, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening relations and cooperation between the two countries. After the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Zhaparov jointly addressed a press briefing.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope that relations between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan will continue to strengthen and reach new heights, stressing the need to expand cooperation between the two brotherly countries. 

Addressing a joint press conference with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, the prime minister thanked the Kyrgyz leadership and people for their warm hospitality. He also congratulated Kyrgyzstan on its Independence Day and on being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz praised Kyrgyzstan's leadership for successfully hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and said Pakistan was keen to further expand its fraternal ties with the Central Asian state. He said the signing of several agreements between the two countries marked the beginning of a broader phase of bilateral cooperation. The two sides had focused particularly on strengthening trade relations during their talks, with Pakistan seeking to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)