ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari arrived on a four-day visit to Kyrgyzstan on Monday to discuss trade, energy, investment cooperation and regional developments, his office said, marking the first visit to the country by a Pakistani president in 21 years.
Zardari is visiting the Central Asian country at the invitation of his Kyrgyzstan counterpart Sadyr Zhaparov, who visited Pakistan in December 2025. This was the first visit by a Kyrgyz president to Pakistan in 20 years.
Pakistan has been seeking closer economic ties rooted in energy cooperation with Central Asian Republics amid Islamabad’s efforts to secure new trade corridors through Central Asia. A major element of their cooperation is the CASA-1000 project, launched in 2016, that aims to allow Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to use their hydroelectric power plants to sell excess energy to Pakistan and Afghanistan in the summer months. The project has been delayed since years due to turmoil in Afghanistan.
President Zardari, who led a high-level delegation to Kyrgyzstan from July 6-9, arrived at Issyk-Kul International Airport on Monday evening where he was welcomed by Kyrgyz President Sadir Japarov and presented a guard of honor, according to the Pakistan president’s official account on X.
“During the visit, the President of Pakistan will hold a one-on-one meeting and delegation-level talks with President Sadyr Zhaparov. The two leaders will review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations and exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
“Discussions are expected to focus on deepening cooperation across trade and investment, energy, mining, agriculture, textiles, the halal industry, health care and pharmaceuticals, the digital economy, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.”
Following his arrival, Zardari visited the Rukh Ordo Cultural Center in Cholpon-Ata together with his Kyrgyz counterpart.
“President Zardari was briefed on the significance of the Rukh Ordo Cultural Center as an important symbol of the Kyrgyz Republic’s rich cultural heritage, history and traditions,” Zardari’s office said.
“The two Presidents toured different sections of the cultural complex and exchanged views on the importance of preserving cultural heritage and promoting greater understanding among nations through cultural exchanges.”
Pakistan enjoys cordial ties with Kyrgyzstan and established formal ties with the country on May 10, 1992. The two countries have extended support to each other regularly at global forums such as the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and others.
During Zharapov’s visit to Pakistan last year, Islamabad and Bishkek signed 15 agreements and memoranda of understanding aimed at boosting cooperation across trade, energy, agriculture, education, customs data-sharing and port logistics.
