Pakistan, Feb. 5 -- For the first time in over two decades, a Kazakh president has visited Islamabad, and he's calling Pakistan a "reliable and important partner in South Asia and beyond." In a whirlwind of ceremonies, Pakistan and Kazakhstan inked 27 agreements and MoUs across sectors from petroleum to mining to maritime affairs. Ambitious targets aim to double the current trade to reach a $1 billion volume in the next year. Yet behind the warm handshakes and lofty declarations lies a stark baseline. Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Kazakhstan was a meagre $250 million last year.

Kazakhstan's ambassador, Yerzhan Kistafin, has already made an appearance on national media, sketching a vision that could quietly redraw Eurasia's economi...