Zardari embarks on historic four-day visit to Kyrgyzstan

WEB DESK: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday departed on a four-day official visit to the Kyrgyzstan Republic, where he is expected to hold talks aimed at expanding cooperation in trade, investment and regional connectivity.

According to a statement issued by the President’s House, President Zardari is undertaking the visit from July 6 to 9 at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov. He is leading a high-level delegation.

The visit marks the first by a Pakistani president to the Kyrgyz Republic in 21 years and comes months after President Zhaparov travelled to Pakistan in December 2025, reflecting what both sides describe as growing high-level engagement between the two countries.

President Zardari is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with President Zhaparov, followed by delegation-level talks to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations and discuss regional and international developments of mutual interest.

Expanding economic cooperation

The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening cooperation across a range of sectors, including trade and investment, energy, mining, agriculture, textiles, the halal industry, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, the digital economy, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

During the visit, President Zardari will also meet the Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament during a courtesy call.

Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic enjoy longstanding friendly relations rooted in shared historical, cultural and religious links.

Islamabad has increasingly sought to deepen engagement with Central Asian states through enhanced economic cooperation and regional connectivity, with both countries expressing a commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties.