Kazakhstan has been requested to take advantage of the favorable investment opportunities that Pakistan is offering under the framework of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), according to Pakistan's ambassador to Kazakhstan, Nauman Bashir Bhatti, on Friday, media reports.
“I must highlight that Pakistan has established a SIFC and has opened priority sectors for investments. We have invited Kazakhstan to benefit from the favourable investment opportunities offered under the SIFC framework,” the Ambassador said.
The envoy emphasized Pakistan's advantageous location by pointing out that his nation offered Kazakhstan's shortest path to the Arabian Sea, “Pakistan remains keen to strengthen its connectivity with Kazakhstan in multiple ways and through multiple channels. The two sides are already working towards this end.”
He concurred that the Karakoram Highway, which passes through China and Kyrgyzstan, was the most direct and affordable path for connecting and transporting products between Pakistan and Kazakhstan.
“It is also known as the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement between Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan or the QTTA Route. Goods can be transported through this route on trucks and containers directly from Karachi, Pakistan, to Almaty, Kazakhstan, and back, without the need to change trucks”, the Ambassador noted.
It is the most cost-effective, reliable, and safest route, according to Ambassador Nauman. Unfortunately, because of the Khunjerab Pass's four-month winter shutdown, the path is currently unusable.
“It will not only boost Pakistan’s connectivity with China but also with Kazakhstan. Therefore, we need to work towards making the QTTA more effective”, the Ambassador highlighted.