Islamabad (TDI): The Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan, Mirza Sayasat Nurbek, visited the Secretariat of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) to explore avenues for strengthening collaboration in science, technology, and higher education among OIC member states, with a particular focus on Pakistan.
Minister Nurbek was accompanied by presidents and rectors of leading Kazakh universities. The delegation was received by Pakistan’s Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi, Secretary Science and Technology Shahid Iqbal Baloch, and Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH Professor Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary.
Welcoming the delegation, Professor Choudhary underscored the growing role of science diplomacy in addressing global challenges, noting that collaborative scientific platforms were increasingly shaping international engagement.
He described Kazakhstan as a key contributor to the science and technology landscape of the OIC region and highlighted its involvement in major initiatives such as the STI Agenda 2026 and international scientific forums honoring renowned Muslim scholars, including Abu Nasr Al-Farabi and Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Professor Choudhary also acknowledged Kazakhstan’s role in hosting the Islamic Organization for Food Security and referred to his long-standing engagement with the country spanning more than two decades.
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He noted that COMSTECH, in coordination with Kazakhstan’s diplomatic mission, had launched several joint initiatives aimed at capacity-building, strengthening research linkages, and expanding academic networks across OIC member states.
Outlining areas of potential collaboration, Prof. Choudhary identified biotechnology, digitization and artificial intelligence, environment, agriculture, and innovation-driven research as shared priorities.
He pointed to Kazakhstan’s growing investment in science and technology, expansion of international partnerships, progress in higher education, and development of indigenous capabilities, including vaccine research and digital infrastructure.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Magsi described Kazakhstan as an active and valued partner of COMSTECH. He recalled that bilateral cooperation dated back to 1996 with the establishment of the Pakistan–Kazakhstan Revolving Fund, under which more than 100 Kazakh scholars completed PhD programs at Pakistani universities and took part in joint research activities.
Minister Magsi said Kazakhstan had consistently participated in COMSTECH-led initiatives, including scientific forums, university networking programs, and collaborative research in areas such as food security, biotechnology, agricultural sustainability, health sciences, and digital innovation.
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He also referred to joint efforts on biosafety and biosecurity, including an international seminar co-organized in Islamabad following a Kazakh initiative presented at the United Nations.
Emphasizing the role of science in development, he stressed the need for greater investment in research and innovation to support economic growth and poverty reduction.
Minister Nurbek commended Prof. Choudhary’s leadership in advancing scientific cooperation through COMSTECH and acknowledged the organization’s contribution to strengthening research capacity and academic linkages across the Muslim world.
He expressed Kazakhstan’s readiness to further expand cooperation in higher education, research partnerships, innovation, and academic exchange, and thanked the Government of Pakistan and COMSTECH for the hospitality extended to his delegation.
