ISLAMABAD – Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov arrived at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi on December 3, 2025, beginning a landmark two-day state visit to Pakistan – the first by a Kyrgyz head of state in twenty years. He was received with full military honors, a 21-gun salute, and a guard of honor by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. Children dressed in traditional attire waved the flags of both countries and presented floral bouquets, symbolizing the deep fraternal bonds rooted in shared faith, history, and aspirations for regional peace and prosperity.
Accompanied by a high-powered delegation including cabinet ministers, senior officials, and leading business figures, President Japarov’s packed schedule reflects a strong intent to elevate bilateral relations. On the first day, he held one-on-one talks with Prime Minister Sharif, followed by expanded delegation-level discussions at the Prime Minister’s House. The agenda covered the entire spectrum of bilateral ties, with particular emphasis on trade, energy, defense, education, cultural exchanges, and regional connectivity.
The Kyrgyz leader also met President Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr and addressed the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Business Forum, attended by over 200 entrepreneurs from both nations seeking joint ventures and investment opportunities.
Credit: Kyrgyzstan Presidency Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov
This visit follows an invitation extended by Prime Minister Sharif during recent multilateral engagements and comes at a crucial juncture for both countries. Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked Central Asian republic surrounded by towering mountain ranges, and Pakistan, a strategically located South Asian nation with access to warm waters, share centuries-old civilizational links. The founder of the Mughal Empire, Zahiruddin Babur, was born in present-day Kyrgyzstan’s Osh region, a historical fact often cited as a living bridge between the two peoples.
Formal diplomatic relations were established on May 10, 1992, shortly after Kyrgyzstan gained independence from the Soviet Union, with Pakistan among the first countries to recognize the new republic. Over the years, cooperation has grown within frameworks such as the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).
High-level visits, however, have been rare. The last Kyrgyz presidential trip to Pakistan took place in January 2005 under President Askar Akayev. Subsequent exchanges included Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s visit to Bishkek in 2011, but sustained momentum had been lacking until now. President Japarov’s arrival is widely seen as a deliberate effort to inject fresh energy into the relationship.
Trade remains a key focus, despite currently modest volumes. Bilateral trade stood at approximately $16 million in 2024, heavily tilted toward Pakistani exports of pharmaceuticals, textiles, rice, and surgical instruments. Both sides have set ambitious targets: $100 million in the short term and $500 million over the longer horizon. Recent steps include memoranda signed in July 2025 on standardization, investment protection, and halal trade accreditation, as well as the reactivation of the Joint Business Council. The Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Business Forum placed special emphasis on halal products, information technology, blockchain applications, and agricultural processing.
Energy cooperation is another major pillar. Pakistan faces chronic power shortages during peak summer months, while Kyrgyzstan possesses significant untapped hydropower potential. Both leaders reaffirmed commitment to the long-delayed Central Asia–South Asia power project (CASA-1000), which will transmit 1,300 MW of surplus summer electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan. Discussions also explored a possible high-voltage transmission line linking Kyrgyzstan, China’s Xinjiang region, and Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan to create an integrated regional energy grid.
Defense and security ties are deepening as well. Pakistan has trained numerous Kyrgyz military and diplomatic officers over the years, and joint exercises under the SCO framework have increased. Intelligence sharing on counter-terrorism and potential defense equipment collaboration were also on the table.
Regional connectivity received prominent attention. Leaders explored linking the under-construction China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway with Pakistan’s planned Trans-Afghan railway to Mazar-i-Sharif and beyond, eventually providing Kyrgyzstan landlocked access to Karachi and Gwadar ports. Upgrades to the 1995 Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement (involving Pakistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan) and new civil aviation routes were also discussed.
People-to-people contacts are being strengthened through scholarships, cultural festivals, tourism promotion, and conservation initiatives focused on shared species such as the snow leopard. A small community of ethnic Kyrgyz descendants living in Pakistan’s northern areas adds a unique human dimension to the relationship.
On the second day of the visit, President Japarov met Speaker of the National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq and Chairman of the Senate Yusuf Raza Gilani, further underscoring the importance Pakistan attaches to parliamentary diplomacy with Kyrgyzstan.
Analysts describe the visit as a strategic realignment that transcends bilateral boundaries, contributing to broader Central-South Asian integration at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics. For Kyrgyzstan, navigating economic challenges and seeking new markets, the partnership offers diversification. For Pakistan, facing energy insecurity and seeking new trade corridors, deeper ties with Central Asia represent a vital lifeline.
As President Japarov departed on December 4, 2025, both sides expressed confidence that the understandings reached will translate into tangible projects — from illuminated homes powered by Central Asian hydropower to bustling markets filled with goods flowing freely across ancient Silk Road routes reborn for the 21st century.
