Islamabad (GNP): President’s Spokesperson Murtaza Solangi held a farewell meeting with outgoing Kazakh Ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin at the President’s Secretariat, marking the conclusion of his diplomatic tenure in Pakistan.
The meeting covered the broader state of bilateral relations, with discussions focused on strengthening regional connectivity. Solangi emphasized the need to improve land, air, and sea links between the two countries, noting that Pakistan’s seaports could serve as a natural maritime gateway for landlocked Kazakhstan to access global markets.
Discussions also touched on opportunities to expand cooperation in trade, investment, mineral resources, health, education, and tourism, along with potential collaboration in sports, including boxing, mountaineering, and traditional sporting events.
Solangi acknowledged Kistafin’s contributions to strengthening Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations during his tenure and wished him well in future assignments. In response, Kistafin reflected on his five years in Pakistan, describing the country as a second home, and said he intended to continue supporting the bilateral relationship even after returning to Kazakhstan.
Kistafin is a career diplomat with a background in international relations, strategic studies, and law, having previously served at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held diplomatic posts including Counselor Minister at Kazakhstan’s Embassy in the United States. He was appointed Ambassador to Pakistan in 2021 following earlier postings in Belgium and the US.
During his time in Pakistan, Kistafin played a role in advancing several areas of bilateral cooperation, including the signing of a logistics industry memorandum involving manufacturers of surgical instruments and agricultural products, as well as an agreement between the two countries’ agriculture ministries to support joint research initiatives.
He also contributed to expanding tourism and trade connections by facilitating discussions between Pakistan’s Tourism Development Authority and Kazakhstan’s national tourism body, and supported business council engagement through talks between Kazakhstan’s Foreign Trade Chamber and the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
His tenure also saw cultural exchange initiatives, including photo exhibitions at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts, along with the signing of several education-related agreements between the two countries.
Additionally, he helped facilitate cooperation between the Pakistan Stock Exchange and Kazakhstan’s Astana International Financial Center, along with an agreement between economic research institutions in both countries.
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Kistafin also previously helped organize the Al-Farabi-Iqbal Forum at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, held in collaboration with the Kazakh Embassy in Pakistan, as part of broader efforts to promote academic and cultural exchange between the two nations.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
