February 4, 2026 marked a symbolic and meaningful moment in relations between Kazakhstan and Pakistan. As part of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Islamabad, a series of major cultural and social facilities were officially inaugurated - the cultural and educational centers named after Al-Farabi, Kanysh Satpayev and Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, as well as the Dostyq Sports Complex, DKNews.kz reports.
These projects go far beyond formal diplomacy. They represent a long-term investment in people, knowledge, culture and shared values - the foundations that make international partnerships truly sustainable.
Cultural diplomacy with a human focus
The newly opened cultural and educational centers are designed to introduce Kazakhstan’s intellectual and spiritual heritage to a wider audience in South Asia while creating practical platforms for academic exchange.
The Al-Farabi Center was established through cooperation between Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Quaid-i-Azam University. The center is fully equipped with educational and scientific literature, modern computer technology and comfortable learning spaces. One of its key features is the launch of Kazakh language courses, offering Pakistani students a direct gateway to Kazakhstan’s culture and history.
The Kanysh Satpayev Center operates within agreements between Satbayev University and Pakistan’s National University of Sciences and Technology. Its mission is to deepen bilateral cooperation in science, education and technology. Joint research projects, academic exchanges and the training of highly qualified specialists are expected to become central elements of its work.
The Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Center was opened under a partnership between the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi International Kazakh-Turkish University and the International Islamic University Islamabad. It is intended to serve as a space for humanitarian dialogue, bringing together shared spiritual traditions and historical connections.
Dostyq: where sport becomes a language of unity
A special place in the program was given to the opening of the Dostyq Sports Complex. This initiative highlights sport not just as competition, but as a powerful tool for building trust and cooperation between nations.
The complex plans to establish Pakistani federations for togiz kumalak and kazakh kuresi, open branches of Kazakhstan’s chess academies and the Qazaq batyry mixed martial arts academy, and strengthen cooperation between the two countries’ grappling and boxing federations.
Equally important are the planned joint training camps aimed at educating Pakistani coaches and athletes. These programs will help build a sustainable system of knowledge transfer, professional development and long-term sports collaboration.
Why this matters
The opening of cultural centers and a sports complex during a state visit signals a new qualitative stage in Kazakhstan–Pakistan relations. While political dialogue and economic cooperation set the direction, it is education, culture and sport that give this partnership real substance.
These initiatives connect students, researchers, athletes and young people, transforming diplomatic agreements into everyday cooperation. Such living ties are what make international relations resilient and future-oriented.
The events in Islamabad on this day clearly showed that friendship between nations is built not only through words and documents, but through shared spaces, joint projects and genuine human interaction. The name “Dostyq”, meaning friendship, captures the essence of this new chapter perfectly.
