Some countries not happy with Pakistan’s progress: Lukashenko

ISLAMABAD: President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko has said that certain nations vying for global leadership are displeased with Pakistan’s progress. He made these remarks at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Tuesday.

After reading the official statement, President Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked, “We all know the position of Pakistan but some powers fighting to gain leadership are not happy with its progress.” He said Pakistan was an important country with a large population and added, “I want to say only those nations survive which remain united.” He said that as a friend of Pakistan, he would say that the world is changing rapidly and strong countries are fighting brutal war over the world’s leadership. He mentioned that Pakistan was a close friend of Belarus and is always concerned for the country. “We were also worried for Pakistan when the floods hit the country,” the president said.

Lukashenko said Pakistan has never been a distant land for him but a very close and friendly country. Appreciating the pragmatic approach of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he said the two sides discussed a whole range of collaboration in areas from agriculture to defence. The president said his country is ready to share its technologies with Pakistan and expressed his country’s interest in purchasing various products, including textiles, from Pakistan.

Addressing the press conference, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the two sides will again sit down to discuss the roadmap for future cooperation. He said the two sides will meet again in two weeks in Minsk to finalize and convert these discussions into practical steps. He said this will be followed by inking of agreements in February next year, emphasizing that this will be a great march forward for the two countries to benefit from each other’s capacities and capabilities. Shehbaz Sharif described the President of Belarus as a great friend of Pakistan and its people have also high respect for him. Shehbaz also expressed gratitude to the Belarusian president for his support for the Kashmiri people who have been fighting for the right to self-determination over the last many decades.

Earlier, the during delegation-level talks, Pakistan and Belarus expressed satisfaction with the current positive trajectory of bilateral relations and agreed to maintain the momentum through regular high-level engagement and institutional cooperation. They discussed the full spectrum of bilateral relations as well as important regional and global developments. They reaffirmed the shared commitment of both countries to the deepening of their political dialogue, strengthening inter-parliamentary exchanges and, in particular, enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Both sides emphasized the importance of regional economic integration and connectivity and agreed to improve the legal frameworks needed to facilitate bilateral economic collaboration. The Belarusian president appreciated the efforts by Prime Minister Shehbaz to take bilateral relations to new dimensions and expressed his country’s full cooperation in this regard. He also invited PM Shehbaz to visit Belarus as it would further expand the relationship. Accepting the invitation, the prime minister said that during his visit, the MoUs will be formalized into agreements. He also issued instructions to the ministers concerned to take necessary steps in this regard as soon as possible.

One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the signing of the “Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation between Pakistan and Belarus for 2025-2027,” which outlines a strategic framework for enhancing economic ties through high-level meetings, inter-governmental commissions and targeted collaborative initiatives. Later, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko witnessed the exchange of some 15 different memorandums of understanding, treaties and agreements intended to augment bilateral cooperation in different sectors. The agreements and MOUs encompassed cooperation in environmental protection, disaster management, halal trade, audit institutions, financial intelligence-sharing, vocational education and science & technology. The prime minister also hosted a banquet in the honour of the president of Belarus at the Prime Minister’s House.

Pakistan and Belarus pledged to foster collaborative endeavours in the agricultural and industrial sectors, with focus on launching joint ventures that specialize in producing cutting-edge, large-scale agricultural machinery.

Furthermore, they agreed to engage in cooperative efforts in the automotive industry, encompassing sales, manufacturing, and servicing of vehicles. This partnership will facilitate collaborations between private and public entities from both countries, aiming to harness their collective strengths in automotive manufacturing and technology. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to stimulate industrial growth, innovation and bilateral cooperation.

Meanwhile, according to the Joint Statement President Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko paid an official visit to Pakistan from 25 to 27 November 2024, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. They reviewed the full range of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening friendly ties across political, trade, economic, cultural, social, and other areas.

“Pakistan and Belarus focused on expanding trade and economic cooperation, adopting a collaborative approach to regional economic integration and connectivity and enhancing the legal framework to facilitate bilateral collaboration. The two sides agreed to promote the establishment of joint ventures in the agriculture and industrial sectors, including the production of high-tech and large-scale agricultural machinery. Both sides also agreed to collaborate in the sales, manufacturing and servicing of vehicles to leverage the strengths of both countries in automotive manufacturing and technology.

“The Belarus-Pakistan Business Forum was established with the participation of over 30 Belarusian companies and nearly 100 Pakistani counterparts from various sectors, fostering valuable interactions and potential business opportunities. Both the leaders also agreed to encourage both government and private sectors to collaborate and organise seminars on “Doing Business with Each Other” aiming to reduce trade barriers and facilitate market access. To enhance trade linkages, both sides welcomed the signing of an MOU between the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) and Beltamozhservice and agreed to encourage other logistics companies, to develop optimal maritime and land routes to streamline transportation, reduce costs and improve the overall efficiency of trade between the two countries. Both sides emphasised the importance of enhancing bilateral trade in pharmaceutical products, medical devices, health-related items and over-the-counter products. They also agreed to identify and address trade barriers, particularly regulatory challenges, to streamline market access.

“The two sides signed 15 important agreements and MOUs, including the ‘Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Belarus for the period 2025-2027’. It focuses on enhancing bilateral economic cooperation through various initiatives, such as high-level meetings, timely meetings of inter-governmental commissions, and promoting collaboration in key sectors of mutual interest. Other significant documents are: Cooperation in E-Commerce, Cooperation in Science and Technology, Cooperation in the field of Accreditation, Cooperation in the Auditing field, Cooperation in the Exchange of Financial Intelligence Related to Money Laundering and terrorism financing, Exchange of Customs Statistics Data of Bilateral Trade, Cooperation in Science and Technology, Cooperation in International Road Transport, Cooperation in the field of Environment & Climate Change, Cooperation in Disaster Management, Cooperation the field of Vocational Education, Extradition Treaty, Cooperation in the field of Health Services, Cooperation in Halal Trade. They are expected to open new prospects for the continued development of bilateral relations, based on the principles of mutually beneficial friendship.

“The Pakistani side briefed the Belarusian side on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Both sides underlined the need for the resolution of all international disputes through peaceful means and under the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions. Shehbaz and Lukashenko expressed deep concern over the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, which has led to a devastating humanitarian crisis and significant civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. They called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, strikes on the Syrian Arab Republic, ensuring uninterrupted and safe delivery of humanitarian aid, restraint against the background of the threat of expanding the zone of confrontation, stressed the need to intensify their efforts to achieve peace, stability and security for the entire region.

“The two leaders also reaffirmed their support for the right of the Palestinians to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the Two-State Formula. They underscored the paramount importance of a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for diplomatic efforts and constructive dialogue. They highlighted that the ongoing conflict has far-reaching consequences, not only for the region but also for global stability and security. Both leaders called on all parties involved to prioritise negotiations and peaceful means to address all underlying issues, reaffirming their commitment to supporting initiatives that foster lasting peace and stability in the region.

“Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the people of Pakistan, for their warm hospitality, President Aleksandr Lukashenko invited the prime minister to visit Belarus at a convenient time, which was accepted by him.”