Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan have agreed to boost bilateral trade, attract new investment and develop transport routes connecting Central Asia with South Asian ports and global trade networks.

The agreements were reached during talks in Bishkek between Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to Economist.kg.

Japarov said the economy should become the foundation of the Kyrgyz-Pakistani partnership. The two countries agreed to take systematic steps to increase mutual trade, expand the range of goods exchanged and attract investment.

The sides also expressed readiness to launch joint projects in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, light industry, tourism, the digital economy and virtual assets, among other sectors.

Transport and logistics were a major focus of the talks. Japarov said Pakistan’s seaports could give Kyrgyzstan greater access to South Asian markets and, through them, international trade routes.

At the same time, Kyrgyzstan could become an important transportation bridge for Pakistan, providing access to Central Asian markets and the wider Eurasian space, the Kyrgyz president said.

The two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector, with particular attention to the CASA-1000 project. The initiative is designed to connect Central Asia’s energy potential with growing electricity demand in South Asia.