Areas of mutual interest with Pakistan: co-operation, supplies of equipment, trade growth

The meeting of President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif took place at the Palace of Independence in Minsk on April 11th

The talks started with an official welcoming ceremony.
The Head of State noted that Shehbaz Sharif had visited the Belarusian capital together with his father still as a child. “I hope this city as well as entire Belarus have become close to you,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The President said that on April 10th, he and the Prime Minister of Pakistan held a meeting which lasted for about three hours. The parties discussed many issues on the international agenda, recent developments around the two countries, and talked about the prospects of bilateral relations. 

“We have developed very good relations. The relations are, as you, Mr. Prime Minister, rightly said, family-like. Therefore, we will always maintain this level of relations, and I am sure that after this visit we have no right to decide not to implement our agreements,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

The Pakistani delegation to Belarus includes many large businessmen who are interested in establishing ‘concrete relations with domestic enterprises in specific areas’, the Head of State said.
“You know that we have a machine-building country, well-developed agriculture. I know very well what Pakistan needs. You also know very well what Belarus needs from Pakistan. I think that during this visit, the members of the government and heads of large companies have already reached many co-operation agreements,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “I find it symbolic that we uphold our traditions and exchanged visits quite promptly, as we did ten years ago with my friend and your brother Nawaz Sharif,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. He recalled that the first high-level visits to Islamabad and Minsk took place in 2015. Then the parties signed strategic political documents to develop bilateral relations: the Islamabad Declaration of Belarus-Pakistan Partnership and the Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation. “Despite global upheavals and security challenges, our countries have remained good friends and reliable partners,” the Head of State remarked.
The President pointed out that Belarus and Pakistan hold similar views on key issues on the global agenda. “Our interaction within international organisations is exceptionally constructive,” he said.
“In general, I believe that agriculture and related industries are the drivers of our bilateral co-operation,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasised.
The President remarked that the two countries should focus, among other things, on addressing important tasks — developing agriculture and ensuring food security. “Knowing how much importance you attach to the agricultural sector, I think you will agree with me,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
The Head of State said that during the negotiations, the parties discussed an important and sensitive topic of labour resources. The President stated that Pakistan has a significant number of people willing and able to work in Belarus. The leadership of the two countries agreed to develop the necessary mechanism to help labour migrants from Pakistan find a job in Belarus.

“We have agreed to do our utmost to make sure that our Pakistani friends, workers, farmers, intellectuals and everyone who wishes to work in Belarus will be able to do so. We will provide them with the necessary support,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “We have also agreed to develop a specific mechanism to assist Pakistan’s people in finding a job in Belarus. We will need their help greatly.” 

Shehbaz Sharif visited BELAZ, Zhodino-based enterprise                                belta

“We have also agreed with my friend, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, that experts from different sectors will be sent here soon. I am talking about the industries where we need specialists. The authorities of Pakistan will help us with such specialists. Let it be 100,000, maybe 120,000-150,000 these specialists. We are ready to welcome them in Belarus and create the necessary working conditions for them here,” the Head of State said.
The Pakistan’s guest received this initiative with great enthusiasm. “Let me thank you from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of the entire delegation, on behalf of the people of Pakistan for your generous offer and invitation of more than 100,000 highly qualified workers from Pakistan to come to Belarus to work,” the Prime Minister said. “Believe me, this offer has made my day. This is a real gift that I am taking home from Belarus, a dear gift from my brother 
Aleksandr Lukashenko,” he said.
Shehbaz Sharif assured Aleksandr Lukashenko that all Pakistani specialists who would get the opportunity to work in Belarus would have excellent qualifications. 
The opening of a direct flight between Islamabad and Minsk will facilitate the implementation of the agreements and will help promote bilateral business and humanitarian contacts. This topic was also discussed during the talks between the two leaders.
The leaders of the two countries discussed a wide range of matters and exchanged views on international and regional challenges.
“Belarus and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to deepening political dialogue, strengthening inter-parliamentary ties and expanding the legal framework. However, economy and trade remain key areas of co-operation,” Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasised.
“I am happy to note that we have common views on our priorities. The first and foremost among them is strengthening food security. This includes the supply of agricultural machinery to Pakistan, the establishment of joint production of Belarusian tractors and related equipment, meeting the demand of the Pakistani market for high-quality baby food, powdered milk, and the export of seeds and veterinary medicines. We have the relevant expertise in all these areas and are ready to share this with our Pakistani friends. In turn, we would be happy to see more products from Pakistan in Belarus,” the Head of State concluded.
Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that the tractor industry is an undisputed flagship of Belarus’ economy and tractors are one of Belarus’ key exports to Pakistan. “We are confident that this year the shipments of Belarusian tractors to Pakistan will increase,” the President said.
The participants in the talks discussed the deliveries of Belarus-made utility vehicles, trucks and quarry equipment to Pakistan. “We have also suggested joint assembly of electric buses with our friends,” the Belarusian leader said.
Pakistan was invited to supply its products to Europe via Belarus.
According to the President, Belarus will be glad to see more products from Pakistan on its market. These could be, for example, rice and mandarins, pharmaceutical and textile products, sporting goods, clothing and footwear.

Belarus and Pakistan have agreed to co-operate in fight against crime and in military-technical sphere                        belta

“We are also ready to co-operate with Pakistan in terms of supplying your products to the European market. You are welcome to take advantage of Belarus, which lies in the centre of Europe, to promote your products to the West,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko addressing the Pakistani representatives.

Belarus and Pakistan have agreed to co-operate in the textile industry. “We have also reached specific agreements on developing our relations in the textile industry, using the example of the enterprise in Baranovichi. It is very important that our Pakistani friends have promised to assist us with textile industry specialists, sending them to work here, including in Baranovichi,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.
Belarus offers Pakistani entrepreneurs the most favourable conditions for launching production facilities oriented to the EAEU market.
Aleksandr Lukashenko called the business community of the two countries the driving force in expanding Belarusian-Pakistani co-operation. That is why a large delegation of business representatives arrived in Minsk with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistani business representatives ensured productive work with their Belarusian colleagues at the business forum. 
“We offer Pakistani entrepreneurs the most favourable conditions for launching production facilities, oriented to the market of not only Belarus, but also of the Eurasian Economic Union,” the Head of State said. 
Belarus and Pakistan signed a package of documents on co-operation. Aleksandr Lukashenko is convinced that Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Minsk will be followed by new visits, and the friendly relations between the two countries will continue to grow stronger and benefit the peoples of Belarus and Pakistan.

Based on materials of sb.by and belta.by