ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan and Belarus are seeking to strengthen bilateral relations, with a focus on boosting trade and econo­mic cooperation, as Belar­u­sian President Aleksandr Lukashenko on Monday began a three-day official visit to the country.

President Lukashenko was welco­med at Nur Khan Airbase by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by key cabinet ministers, inc­luding Deputy Prime Min­is­ter and Fore­ign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Mini­ster Mohsin Naqvi, and Information Minister Ataullah Tarar.

The Belarusian president is being accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising government officials and representatives from leading business companies.

The 68-member delegation arrived a day earlier for holding meetings with their Pakistani counterparts. Belarusian business representatives participated in a business forum where agreements worth $17 million were signed, according to Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Mikhail Myatlikov.

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Islamabad, which is under a security clampdown because of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf protest and access to most parts of the city had been blocked with shipping containers, was adorned with welcoming banners and portraits of the leaders of the two countries to mark the occasion.

“During the visit, President Lukashenko and Prime Minister Sharif will hold wide-ranging talks on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.

“Looking forward to our discussions during this important visit,” Sharif posted on X, formerly Twitter, after receiving Lukashenko.

Focus on trade and cooperation

The two leaders are set to discuss various areas of collaboration, particularly trade and investment. According to the Belarusian presidency, the discussions will prioritise practical steps to develop trade and economic ties and explore promising areas of cooperation.

The two sides aim to devise a joint action plan to enhance bilateral engagement. Trade between Pakistan and Belarus totalled approximately $50 million in 2023, a figure both countries agree is far below the potential.

In addition to bilateral issues, the leaders will exchange views on regional and global security and explore avenues for cooperation at multilateral forums. Multiple agreements and memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed during the visit.

Foreign ministers prepare agenda

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met his Belarusian counterpart, Maxim Ryzhenkov, to finalise the agenda for Mr Lukashenko’s visit.

“The ministers also discussed key regional and global developments, including the situation in the Middle East,” the Foreign Office said. “They expressed their support for peaceful resolution of conflicts and underlined the need for a coordinated approach to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”

Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the momentum of bilateral exchanges and high-level visits, expr­essing the hope that Mr Lukashenko’s visit would further strengthen ties between the two nations.

Investment partner

Meanwhile, Privatisation, Investment and Communication Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said that Pakistan and Belarus are to enhance government-to-government and business-to-business relations between the two countries.

The minister said this during a meeting with Belarus Transport Minister Alexei Lyakhnovich.

Mr Khan said that work is under way to launch direct flights from Islamabad to Moscow following the start of flight operations for Baku. He said that now cross-border trade is a key to strengthening the country’s economy and promoting bilateral relations.

Like Azerbaijan and Turkey, the government also wants to make Belarus an investment partner since Pakistan is rich in natural resources and positive results can be achieved with the skilled workforce, the country has, Mr Khan said.

Belarus Transport Minister Alexei Lyakhnovich, who is accompanying President of Belarus, invited the Communications Minister of Pakistan to visit Belarus and said his country wants to increase connectivity with Pakistan through railways and roads.

Mr Khan said that the communication sector is of utmost importance and “we want a trade corridor to Central Asia on the lines of the Karakoram Highway and CPEC to promote business activities”.

Separately, Belarus Minister for Industries Aliaksandr Yafimua held a meeting with Minister for Industries Rana Tanveer Hussain and discussed the potential cooperation between the two countries in the industrial and agricultural sectors.

Rana Tanveer said that Pakistan has considerable export potential with Belarus for products like inflatable footballs, articles of bedding and similar stuffed items, sports and outdoor games equipment, footwear, rubber, plastic and metal products.

The two ministers also discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the small medium enterprises sector.

Amin Ahmed also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2024