Southern Corridor: What Kazakhstan Gains From Access To Pakistan's Ports

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 2. Kazakhstan's strategic geographic position, coupled with its well-developed transport infrastructure and robust export capacity, enables the country to occupy a pivotal role in Eurasian logistics. Positioned at the crossroads of key trade routes between Europe and Asia, Kazakhstan facilitates the movement of goods between major economic hubs across the region. The country is integral to several critical international transit corridors, notably the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which connects China, Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus, and European markets. This route offers Kazakhstan significant strategic advantages, fostering opportunities for the expansion of its foreign economic engagements and the growth of its export flows.

Kazakhstan, despite its strategic location, lacks direct access to the world's oceans, which constrains its ability to diversify foreign trade and heightens its reliance on traditional transit routes. As Kazakhstan's international stature and economic influence continue to rise, the need to establish alternative connections to global maritime routes has become a key priority within the country's transport and foreign economic policies.

In this regard, the prospect of accessing Pakistan's seaports is gaining increasing importance. Astana and Islamabad are actively engaged in discussions aimed at enabling Kazakhstani cargo to reach the ports of Karachi, Qasim, and Gwadar. These ports are viewed not only as crucial logistical solutions for Kazakhstan but also as potential transit hubs for the broader Central Asia region, providing vital access to markets in the Persian Gulf, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

On May 7, 2025, at a business forum in Karachi, Kazakhstan and Pakistan signed a transit trade agreement, opening the country's access to the ports of Karachi and Gwadar. The Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan emphasized that "this document lays the foundation for the development of new transport and logistics routes and further strengthening economic ties between the two countries."

At the same time, with the involvement of Astana and Islamabad, other large-scale infrastructure projects are being discussed. Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan are in consultations regarding the construction of a new railway line from Turgundi - Herat - Kandahar - Spin Boldak, which will run from the western border of Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and then toward India. The project plans to create facilities for the transshipment of grain, containers, and other goods. It is expected that the launch of this route will give an additional boost to the growth of cargo turnover, including through the Turgundi hub. Afghanistan, for its part, has expressed its readiness to ensure the transit of goods from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to Pakistan.

The economic rapprochement between the two countries is also reflected in the growth of bilateral trade. According to Kazakhstan's National Bureau of Statistics, in January-November 2025, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Pakistan amounted to $101.3 million, more than twice the figure for the same period the previous year ($48.6 million). Moreover, the parties aim to increase mutual trade volume to $1 billion annually and expand the range of supplies to 40 product categories.

Achieving these targets would be difficult to envision without substantial advancements in transport infrastructure and the establishment of new, sustainable trade routes. The development of the southern corridor offers Kazakhstan a unique opportunity to significantly broaden the scope of its export markets. Currently, the majority of cargo flows are directed toward the north and west. The introduction of the Pakistani route provides a means to reduce logistics costs for transporting grain and other goods from Kazakhstan's southern regions, streamlining the process and enhancing economic efficiency.

Looking to the future, integration with Pakistani ports holds the potential to transform Pakistan's coastline into Kazakhstan's strategic gateway to global maritime trade routes. This shift does not diminish the importance of existing routes; rather, it serves to reduce dependence on them, bolstering the resilience of Kazakhstan's foreign trade. Furthermore, it allows the country to develop a more adaptable and diversified logistics network, enhancing its long-term competitiveness on the global stage.

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