Pakistan invites Kazakhstan to invest in Gwadar, Karachi ports

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Wednesday invited Kazakh investors to explore investment opportunities at Pakistan’s ports, including joint ventures in Gwadar’s free zones.

The invitation was extended during a meeting with an 11-member delegation from Kazakhstan led by Timur Turlov, Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Holding Corp.

During the meeting, both sides discussed prospects for cooperation in transshipment operations, off-dock and multipurpose terminals, as well as dry-dock and floating-dock facilities at Pakistani ports.

Junaid Chaudhry highlighted the strategic importance of Karachi and Gwadar ports in regional trade and said Pakistan’s maritime infrastructure offers significant opportunities for international investors.

The Kazakh delegation expressed keen interest in investing in Pakistan’s maritime sector, reflecting growing international confidence in the country’s economic and maritime policies.

The minister also invited Freedom Holding Corp. to participate in Pakistan’s blue economy initiatives, emphasizing that Pakistani ports could serve as key gateways for Kazakhstan and other landlocked Central Asian countries to access markets in the Gulf, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

The discussions further covered potential cooperation in road, rail, and air connectivity between Pakistan and Central Asian states, particularly Kazakhstan, aimed at strengthening regional trade integration.

Timur Turlov expressed confidence in Pakistan’s developing maritime sector and reaffirmed his company’s interest in exploring long-term strategic investments aligned with Pakistan’s economic development goals.