ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Belarus agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, border security, police training and finalized an extradition treaty on Wednesday, state-run media reported as both countries eye stronger ties.
Pakistan and the Eastern European country have moved closer in recent months, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visiting Belarus in April. During his visit, Sharif held talks with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to review progress on bilateral cooperation in various sectors.
The latest agreements between the two sides were reached during Belarusian Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Kubrakov’s ongoing visit to Islamabad, where he met Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“Pakistan and Belarus have agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, border security and police training,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
This understanding was reached during Kubrakov’s meeting with Naqvi, during which both sides also finalized an extradition agreement and signed the protocol for its implementation, state media said.
Pakistan and Belarus also agreed to form a joint working group to further strengthen their bilateral ties, it added. Naqvi said Pakistan values its relations with Belarus and is keen to advance them in all fields.
“He welcomed the signing of the MoU between Belarus and Pakistan’s Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, saying it will enable several thousand Pakistanis to go to Belarus for employment,” Radio Pakistan said.
The Belarusian minister later met Sharif, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said, expressing his country’s desire to enhance cooperation with Pakistan in agriculture and industry.
Pakistan’s growing engagement with Belarus comes at a time when Islamabad seeks increasing trade and economic cooperation with landlocked Central Asian republics, Gulf allies, traditional allies and new ones.
Pakistan aims to leverage its strategic position as a key trade and transit hub to connect these nations to the global market, while earning much-needed foreign exchange.
