Belarus to accept 150,000 skilled Pakistani workers, says PM Shehbaz

• PM calls Belarus offer "gift" for people of Pakistan.
• Both countries sign accords to enhance cooperation.
• Belarus president confident of long-term partnership. 

MINSK: 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 nation-building efforts in the eastern European nation.

Calling it a “gift” for the people of Pakistan, the prime minister expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity, highlighting that this initiative will benefit the Belarusian economy and provide meaningful livelihoods to Pakistani youth. 

“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 said while speaking at a joint press stakeout with President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The premier is on an official visit to Belarus at the invitation of President Lukashenko. This visit follows the latter's visit to Pakistan in November 2024, during which both nations signed more than a dozen important memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements, with pledges to further expand bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.

Recalling the visit of Aleksandr Lukashenko to Pakistan in 2015-16, the prime minister said this visit laid the foundation of the long journey of friendship and cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The premier expressed the government’s interest in benefiting from the experience of Belarus in various areas, especially agriculture.

“Pakistan is an agrarian country, and 65% of the population resides in rural areas. We need your expertise to increase our per-acre yield by utilizing modern methodologies in the sector,” he said, adding that Pakistan encourages joint ventures between companies from both countries. “The companies from Pakistan and Belarus will have a win-win situation in this regard.”

PM Shehbaz also highlighted the Belarusian expertise in manufacturing equipment for the mining sector, saying that Pakistan had mineral deposits worth trillions of dollars and both countries could become great partners in this sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Belarus President Lukashenko emphasised his country's importance 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 Pakistani premier, 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.

The president noted that the visit of PM Shehbaz Sharif would serve as a catalyst for opening new avenues of cooperation between the two nations. He stressed the need to explore untapped areas of partnership and to build upon the existing friendly relations.

Accords signed

Separately, Pakistan and Belarus signed a series of agreements and MoUs aimed at enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors, including defense, commerce and environmental protection.

The accords were signed during PM Shehbaz's meeting with President Lukashenko and the delegation-level talks between the two sides, encompassing discussions on different areas of cooperation as well as regional and international matters.

The two leaders witnessed the ceremony as ministers from both sides exchanged the pre-signed documents.

The governments of Pakistan and Belarus signed a Readmission Agreement as well as an Agreement on Cooperation between the interior ministries of the two countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Belarusian Internal Affairs Minister exchanged documents.

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 also 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 Defense Production for 2025-2027. 

During the visit, bilateral accords were also signed for cooperation on environmental protection, postal services, business support, trade development and cooperation between trade bodies.