Ambassador Kistafin, stresses for significance of Pak- Kazakhstan bilateral media cooperation

Celina Ali

Islamabad: Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Pakistan, Yerzhan Kistafin on Wednesday stressed the significance of bilateral media cooperation between Pakistan and Kazakhstan and stressed the need to review the bilateral news exchange agreement between the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) and the official media of Kazakhstan.

During his visit to APP headquarter and a meeting with Managing Director Muhammad Asim Khichi, he said that cooperation between Kazakhstan and Pakistan at the media level is indispensable and the agreement and cooperation on mutual news exchange between the APP and the official media of Kazakhstan has been in place for a decade, which needs to be reviewed and updated in line with the requirements of the new era.

The envoy said that the media has an important role in the cooperation between the two countries, for which the official media of both countries will have to play their due role for promoting bilateral economic and trade relations and tourism.

On this occasion, the Ambassador said that the official media of Pakistan, should play its role in promoting bilateral ties at the people to people level in both countries so that the mutual relations between the two countries can be further strengthened.

The Ambassador of Kazakhstan said that the role of Pakistan and Kazakhstan in regional economic connectivity is of great importance, for which the public and private sectors of both countries need to come closer to each other.

Pakistan and Kazakhstan are geo-strategically very important countries which are also significant in global trade and their geographical position must be benefited for geo-economic benefits, he said.

At present, economic diplomacy is important in the world and rail and road links and direct flights are important in regional economic connectivity, for which both countries are making great efforts.

Kistanfin said that direct flights between Pakistan and Kazakhstan will start soon, for which Lahore and Karachi have been selected.

On this occasion, he said that the initiation of visa-free regime in Central Asia and Pakistan and other countries is the need of the hour, which will not only increase economic relations between the two countries but also promote tourism in both countries.

He said that the Pakistan-Kazakhstan including Turkmenistan-Afghanistan railway line will be launched soon, for which there is consensus among all stakeholders.

“There are ample opportunities in bilateral trade and transit trade between the two countries, on which the private sectors in both countries should come forward”, he added.

During the meeting, Managing director, APP said that the media has an important role in further enhancing the bilateral relations between the two countries, for which APP will play its role in mutual cooperation.

MD, APP said that mutual cooperation between APP and Kazakhstan official media is inevitable and for this, there is a need to review the agreements in the future.

He said that the role of official media is of utmost importance in promoting awareness and relations between the two countries.