Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister, Rasit Meredow, will visit Pakistan from July 22-24 to enhance trade with Central Asian states, according to a statement made by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister on Friday.

Pakistan aims to use its strategic geopolitical position to become a key trade and transit hub, connecting landlocked Central Asian republics to the rest of the world. Recently, there has been increased activity and economic discussions between Pakistan and Central Asian countries, including meetings with leaders from Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

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Foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch announced the visit during a weekly press briefing, stating that Meredow will engage in extensive talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and meet with other Pakistani leaders. The discussions will cover bilateral relations and regional and global developments.

Central Asian countries, rich in resources but landlocked, need better access to markets in Pakistan, China, India, and West Asia. Pakistan, with significant energy demands, can benefit from increased trade with Central Asia. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, with China’s investment of around $65 billion in Pakistan, provides a strategic opportunity for Central Asian states to transport their goods more easily to regional and global markets.

Pakistan seeks to strengthen trade and investment relations to stabilize its fragile $350 billion economy, which is facing a severe balance of payments crisis, high inflation, and surging external debt. Last week, Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed on a $7 billion, 37-month loan, following a short-term $3 billion program that helped stabilize the economy and avert a sovereign debt default.