MINSK, APR 11: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that Belarus had extended a generous offer to invite over 150,000 young, highly skilled Pakistani workers to contribute to the nation-building efforts of Belarus, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had arrived in the Republic of Belarus on Thursday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of President Aleksandr Lukashenko.
Belarus Prime Minister Alexander Turchin and officials of the Pakistan embassy in Belarus welcomed the prime minister on his arrival in Minsk.
He was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi.
Calling it a “gift” for the people of Pakistan, the prime minister expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity, highlighting that this initiative will not only benefit the Belarusian economy but also provide meaningful livelihoods to Pakistani youth, according to APP.
“I assure you that the skilled Pakistani workforce, duly certified both by international standards and through national accreditation, will serve as a valuable asset to Belarus,” the prime minister was quoted to have said while speaking at a joint press stakeout with the Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko.
Recalling the visit of Lukashenko to Pakistan in 2015-16, the prime minister said that trip had laid the foundation of long journey of friendship and cooperation in areas of mutual interests between the two countries.
The prime minister expressed the government’s interest in benefiting from the experience of Belarus in various areas especially the agriculture, the report added.
“Pakistan is an agrarian country and 65 per cent population resides in rural areas. We need your expertise to increase our per-acre yield by utilising the modern methodologies in the sector,” he said.
He added that Pakistani companies needed to have joint ventures with those in Belarus. “The companies from both Pakistan and Belarus will have a win-win situation in this regard.”
The prime minister also highlighted the Belarusian expertise in manufacturing equipment of mining sector, saying that Pakistan had mineral deposits worth of “trillions of dollars” and both countries could become great partners in this area.
President Lukashenko, on the occasion, emphasised the importance his country placed on fostering strong ties with Pakistan.
He said that Belarus attached great significance to its relations with Pakistan and looked forward to deepening cooperation on multiple fronts.
Welcoming the prime minister, President Lukashenko highlighted the potential for expanding bilateral collaboration in diverse sectors, including trade, industry, agriculture, and technology.
He expressed confidence that the high-level engagement would pave the way for long-term strategic partnership and mutual growth.
“Over the past six months, a series of high-level bilateral engagements —including the 8th Session of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) in February 2025 and a subsequent visit by a high-powered mixed ministerial delegation to Belarus in April 2025 — have laid the groundwork for a productive visit,” the Foreign Office said in a statement on Thursday.
In November last year, Pakistan and Belarus signed a three-year, wide-ranging ‘Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation’ agreement, aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
The Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation between Pakistan and Belarus for 2025-27, described by the Pakistani government as a “key outcome” of the visit, was among 15 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed during talks between PM Shehbaz and the Belarusian president. These were followed by a delegation-level meeting.
MoUs signed between Pakistan and Belarus
Pakistan and Belarus signed a series of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) aimed at enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors, including defence, commerce and environmental protection, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported separately.
“The governments of Pakistan and Belarus signed a Readmission Agreement as well as an agreement on cooperation between the interior ministries of two countries,” APP said.
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and the Belarusian Internal Affairs Minister exchanged documents, the report added.
Pakistan and Belarus signed an agreement on cooperation between the defense ministries of the two countries and the documents were exchanged by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin.
The two sides signed a Programme (Roadmap) of the Military-Technical Cooperation between the State Authority for Military Industry of the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Defence Production for 2025-2027.
Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Belarusian Minister of the State Authority for Military Industry Dmitry Pantus exchanged the documents.
During the visit, the bilateral accords were also signed for cooperation on environmental protection, postal services, business support, trade development and cooperation between trade bodies.
