Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev concluded a two-day state visit to Pakistan on 4 February 2026, marking the first such trip by a Kazakh leader in over two decades.

The visit culminated in the signing of a Joint Declaration establishing a strategic partnership between Islamabad and Astana, alongside 37 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across sectors like trade, mining, agriculture, and transport.

Notably, the declaration referenced the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, calling for its "peaceful resolution in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions" as essential for lasting peace in South Asia.

President Tokayev arrived in Islamabad on 3 February at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He received a ceremonial guard of honour and held talks with both Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. Discussions focused on elevating bilateral ties, with emphasis on trade expansion, regional connectivity via projects like the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, and access to Pakistani ports such as Gwadar and Karachi.

The mention of Kashmir in paragraph 15 of the joint declaration has sparked controversy. It states that "a peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions is indispensable for lasting peace and stability in South Asia."

Pakistan routinely invokes these 1948-49 resolutions, which called for a plebiscite but were rendered obsolete by subsequent Indo-Pak accords like the 1972 Simla Agreement, which India insists makes the issue bilateral.

India has long opposed third-party references to Kashmir on international platforms, viewing them as interference in its internal affairs. The inclusion by Kazakhstan—a nation with robust ties to India through trade, defence, and multilateral forums like the SCO—has prompted accusations of Pakistani diplomatic manoeuvring. New Delhi has not yet issued an official response, but analysts anticipate a firm rebuttal emphasising bilateralism.

This is not the first instance of Pakistan securing such mentions; similar language appeared in past joint statements with other nations. However, Kazakhstan's endorsement stands out given its neutral stance in regional disputes and growing economic stakes with India, including energy and defence collaborations.

​The declaration reinforces Pakistan's efforts to diversify alliances post-economic woes and FATF scrutiny, while Kazakhstan balances ties with major powers including China, Russia, India, and now deeper South Asian engagement. The Kashmir clause, however, risks straining Astana's relations with New Delhi without yielding tangible gains for Islamabad.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)

​