LAHORE: Pakistan can revive US$ 1 billion soft loan offered by the Kazakhstan some two years ago, for a 15-year railway project, said Honorary Consul General of Kazakhstan Rao Khalid. Talking to reporter on Sunday, he said the loan which lapsed unused in the past, carries a nominal markup percentage. Khalid suggested that by leveraging Kazakhstan’s advanced railway standards, Pakistan could modernize its railway system.
He highlighted the potential for mutually beneficial cooperation, citing cultural similarities, shared Muslim populations, and vast business opportunities. Khalid underscored the Kazakhstan’s rich energy resources, proposing that Pakistan could meet its energy needs through collaboration. Notably, Kazakhstan seeks agricultural workers, presenting an opportunity for Pakistani labor, he said and added that efforts were underway to export Pakistani tractors to Kazakhstan, capitalizing on Pakistan’s high standards of agricultural production.
The Honorary Consul General emphasized the potential
for business-to-business, government-to-government, and people-to-people cooperation between the two nations. Responding to a query, Khalid mentioned that Kazakhstan’s provision of medical education at economical rates, with approximately 1800 Pakistani students enrolling in Kazakh universities in the last two years.
He said the prospect of trade through a barter system was being explored, and there’s an opportunity for Pakistani entrepreneurs to establish fertilizer factories in Kazakhstan, utilizing its abundant gas resources. Kazakhstan offers agricultural lands on a 30-year lease, presenting an avenue for Pakistani agriculturists to benefit from the opportunity, he added.