Pakistan has expressed readiness to facilitate the transit of Kazakh cargo through its major ports, opening a potential new trade route connecting Kazakhstan and Central Asia with international markets.

The issue was discussed during a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Yerzhan Kistafin and Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Sputnik Kazakhstan reports.

Pakistan proposed using the ports of Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar to handle transit cargo from Kazakhstan.

The two sides also discussed developing joint projects in special economic zones, as well as expanding cooperation in port infrastructure, shipping and the simplification of trade procedures.

The Pakistani minister said that the country’s ports could become important transit hubs for Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states, providing access to markets in the Persian Gulf, Africa and Southeast Asia.