ISLAMABAD, OCT 13 /DNA/ – The Republic of Kazakhstan has appointed Mr. Yerkin Tukumov as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, marking a new chapter in diplomatic relations between the two countries.

A distinguished diplomat, political scientist, and strategic affairs expert, Ambassador Tukumov brings nearly three decades of experience in foreign policy, international relations, and national security. Prior to his appointment, he served as Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and as the Special Representative of the President of Kazakhstan for Afghanistan from 2025 to 2026.

Born on July 2, 1973, Ambassador Tukumov graduated from the Institute of International Relations at the University of Warsaw in Poland in 1997. He later completed studies at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in the United States in 2016 and holds a PhD in Political Science.

Throughout his career, Tukumov has occupied a number of senior positions within Kazakhstan’s foreign policy and strategic research institutions. He began his professional journey at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where he served in research and leadership roles from 1997 to 2005. He later headed the Public Fund “Central Asian Fund for the Development of Democracy” and worked in analytical and strategic positions within the Presidential Administration.

Between 2008 and 2010, he served as Deputy Director and subsequently Director of the Department of Central Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan. He then led the Analytical Department of Kazakhstan’s Security Council from 2010 to 2018, contributing to the country’s security and foreign policy planning.

His diplomatic career includes service as Consul General of Kazakhstan in Kazan, Russian Federation, from 2018 to 2019, followed by his role as Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia from 2019 to 2022.

From 2022 to 2025, Tukumov served as Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, one of the country’s leading policy research institutions, where he played a key role in shaping research on regional and international affairs.

Ambassador Tukumov holds the diplomatic rank of Second Class Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and is proficient in English and Polish.

His appointment is expected to further strengthen the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Kazakhstan and Pakistan, particularly in areas of trade, connectivity, regional security, and people-to-people exchanges. Officials from both countries are expected to work closely to enhance bilateral ties and promote greater regional cooperation.

As Ambassador to Pakistan, Tukumov is anticipated to leverage his extensive experience in diplomacy, strategic studies, and regional affairs to advance Kazakhstan’s foreign policy objectives and deepen engagement with Islamabad on issues of mutual interest.