ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has invited investors from Kazakhstan to partner in developing floating dock facilities and multipurpose terminals at the Karachi and Gwadar ports, the maritime ministry said on Wednesday, as Islamabad seeks to expand Central Asian access to international trade markets.
Pakistan has long sought to use its geography to connect Central Asia’s landlocked economies to its warm-water ports. Islamabad promotes Karachi and Gwadar as gateways linking South Asia, the Middle East, and Eurasia. These ports acting as global transshipment hubs offer a stable alternative to shipping routes affected by Middle East tensions and the blockade of Strait of Hormuz, a waterway responsible for 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry held talks with an 11-member Kazakh delegation led by Freedom Holding Corp. CEO Timur Turlov on participating in the country’s blue economy initiatives.
“Both sides discussed cooperation prospects in transshipment operations, off-dock and multipurpose terminals, and dry-dock and floating-dock facilities at Pakistani ports,” the maritime ministry said.
The discussions also covered road, rail, and air connectivity between Pakistan and Kazakhstan to enhance regional trade integration, it added.
“Turlov expressed confidence in Pakistan’s developing maritime sector and reiterated his company’s interest in exploring long-term strategic investments aligned with Pakistan’s economic development priorities,” the ministry said.
Pakistan’s maritime sector is vital for trade, with most imports and exports moving through sea routes.
Key ports such as the Karachi Port Trust and the Port Qasim Authority handle most of Pakistan’s cargo and container traffic. Gwadar Port handles transshipment cargo and is designed as a deep-sea port to accommodate large vessels and reduce congestion at other Pakistani ports.
In February, Pakistan and Kazakhstan agreed to establish a strategic partnership, signed 37 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and set a target of raising bilateral trade to $1 billion within a year amid a push for greater regional integration during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Islamabad.
