Experienced Diplomat and Political Scientist Assumes Charge on October 13
ISLAMABAD: The Republic of Kazakhstan has appointed Mr. Yerkin Valitkhanuly Tukumov as its Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, effective October 13, 2026.
Tukumov brings extensive experience in diplomacy, foreign policy, strategic studies and international relations. Before his appointment to Pakistan, he served as Ambassador-at-Large at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Special Representative of the President of Kazakhstan for Afghanistan from 2025 to 2026.
Born on July 2, 1973, Tukumov graduated from the Institute of International Relations at the University of Warsaw in Poland in 1997. In 2016, he completed his studies at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in the United States. He holds a PhD in Political Science.
Throughout his career, Tukumov has held several senior positions in Kazakhstan’s government and diplomatic service. From 1997 to 2005, he worked at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan, serving as a senior researcher, head of the Department of Foreign Policy and International Relations, and chief researcher.
He subsequently served as Director of the Central Asian Fund for the Development of Democracy from 2005 to 2007 and held positions within the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan. Between 2008 and 2010, he served as Deputy Director and later Director of the Department of Central Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From 2010 to 2018, Tukumov headed the Analytical Department of Kazakhstan’s Security Council. He later served as Consul General of Kazakhstan in Kazan, Russian Federation, from 2018 to 2019, followed by his appointment as Minister-Counsellor at the Kazakh Embassy in Russia, where he served from 2019 to 2022.
From 2022 to 2025, he served as Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President, contributing to strategic policy research and analysis.
His appointment as ambassador to Pakistan comes after years of experience in regional affairs, including Central Asian diplomacy and Afghanistan-related matters. His background in foreign policy and strategic analysis is expected to be valuable in advancing Kazakhstan’s diplomatic engagement with Pakistan.
Tukumov holds the diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Second Class, and is proficient in Polish and English.
His appointment marks a new chapter in Kazakhstan-Pakistan diplomatic relations, with opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation, expand economic and trade ties, and promote collaboration in regional connectivity and other areas of mutual interest.