Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering bilateral trade and economic ties during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s House on Tuesday.
Welcoming the Belarusian leader, Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted the significance of Pakistan-Belarus relations and expressed hope that the visit would foster cooperation across various sectors. The discussions encompassed political relations, trade and investment, defence collaboration, and regional issues, underscoring a shared vision for mutual development.
Both leaders commended progress in bilateral relations over the past decade and agreed to expedite the implementation of agreements to strengthen their partnership. They witnessed the signing of 16 key agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering areas such as vocational education, disaster management, environmental protection, science and technology, halal trade, and crime prevention.
The signed documents included agreements on exchanging customs data, cooperation in health and e-commerce, combating money laundering and terrorist financing, and climate change mitigation. Other significant agreements pertained to international road transport, extradition, and accreditation in halal food trade. Additionally, a roadmap for cooperation between 2025-2027 was finalized.
At the Pakistan-Belarus Business Forum in Islamabad, eight business-to-business MoUs were signed to enhance trade. Federal Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan emphasized the untapped potential for collaboration in energy, telecommunications, agriculture, and ICT. He noted that Belarus exports durable tractors to Pakistan, while surgical instruments constitute a major portion of Pakistan’s exports to Belarus.
Belarusian Energy Minister Alexei Kushna-Renko underscored the mutual demand for agricultural machinery, petrochemical products, and dairy items from Belarus, alongside Pakistani light industrial goods and food products.
Accompanied by a 68-member delegation, President Lukashenko hailed the visit as a “milestone,” with both sides expressing optimism about deepening institutional and economic ties. Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to advancing the partnership through concrete measures and forward-looking initiatives.
