ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is on an official visit to the Republic of Belarus today, Friday, with several agreements to strengthen cooperation expected to be signed, the foreign office said.
During his stay, Sharif will hold talks with President Aleksandr Lukashenko to review progress in areas of mutual interest. 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 Sharif’s visit.
“The two sides are expected to sign several agreements to further strengthen cooperation,” the foreign office said in a weekly statement. “The Prime Minister’s visit underscores the strong and ongoing partnership between Pakistan and Belarus.”
Corresponding with Sharif’s arrival, the second Pakistan-Belarus Business Forum was held on Thursday in Minsk, marking a “significant step toward strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries,” state-owned Pakistan Television reported.
Senior government officials, business leaders and other key stakeholders from both nations attended.
In recent years, the volume of trade between Belarus and Pakistan ranges between $50 to 65 million annually, according to foreign office data.
“Our presence here is part of a journey that reflects the evolving and deepening partnership between our two countries,” Pakistani Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said as he addressed the forum.
He said the eighth session of the Pakistan-Belarus Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), held earlier this year in Minsk, had opened “new avenues of cooperation” in sectors such as trade, agriculture, education, technology, and pharmaceuticals, emphasizing that both governments were committed to removing trade barriers and promoting involvement of the private sector.
Discussing potential trade opportunities, Khan identified key areas for joint ventures including textile machinery, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, information technology, and e-commerce.
He also announced a recent cooperation agreement between the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BelCCI), describing it as an active platform for trade promotion and partnership development.
Khan invited Belarusian investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones, saying they offered attractive incentives and access to markets of over three billion people. He also noted the recent reduction in Pakistan’s energy tariffs as an additional facilitative measure for investment.
“Today’s forum is not just a ceremonial gathering but a practical advancement. We are witnessing the signing of a cooperation agreement between TDAP and BelCCI that will provide an institutional foundation. This includes participation in trade exhibitions, B2B events, exchange of market intelligence, and facilitation of sector-specific delegations,” Chief Executive of the Trade Development Authority, Faiz Ahmed, said in his address at the business forum.
“This formal collaboration will ensure that the momentum created today translates into tangible outcomes in the coming months.”
