Belarus and Pakistan are building bilateral relations on the basis of friendship and partnership, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Andrei Metelitsa said in an interview with BelTA. The Ambassador highlighted the official visit of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan to Minsk in April and the agreements reached at the highest level to expand and intensify Belarusian-Pakistani cooperation in a number of areas. The head of the diplomatic mission shared his vision of the prospects for cooperation between the two countries, especially in trade and economy.
Mr Ambassador, what is the basis for the relations between Belarus and Pakistan?
Ten years ago, Belarus and Pakistan decided that the bilateral relations would be built on the basis of friendship and partnership, which is reflected in the Islamabad Declaration of Belarusian-Pakistani Partnership and the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 2015.
Over the years, our countries have reaffirmed their friendly relations through deeds, for example, the humanitarian aid that Belarus provided to the people of Pakistan affected by a large-scale flood in December 2022.
In November 2024, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan confirmed in a joint statement that the relations between the two countries have now developed into a strong, wide-ranging and comprehensive partnership that is of growing importance for the two states. This partnership is based on many joint projects and activities that address the needs of Belarusian and Pakistani citizens and organizations.
How do you assess the state of Belarusian-Pakistani political relations at the present stage?
I have been working in Pakistan since December 2020 and I can say that Belarusian-Pakistani cooperation has significantly intensified over the past three years.
The countries maintain regular dialogue at the highest level. In 2024-2025, Belarus’ president and prime minister visited Pakistan and the Pakistani prime minister traveled to our country.
Interparliamentary ties are developing, as evidenced by the visit of Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Ayaz Sadiq to Minsk in August 2024. In April of this year, Shehbaz Sharif met with Chairpersons of the Council of the Republic Natalia Kochanova and the House of Representatives Igor Sergeyenko during his visit to Belarus.
I would like to draw attention to the constructive interaction between the foreign ministries of the two countries. The Belarusian foreign minister visited Pakistan in May 2023. Political consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers are held regularly, the last round of which took place in Islamabad in July of last year.
In January of this year, representatives of the Election Commission of Pakistan participated in the observation of the presidential election in Belarus and held a meeting with Chairman of the Belarusian CEC Igor Karpenko.
It is important that meetings of joint commissions and groups, negotiations and consultations between ministries and companies of Belarus and Pakistan take place on a regular basis to discuss the status and prospects for cooperation and to compare the notes in order to move forward in various areas of interaction.
For example, the past few months alone saw three meetings of the joint commission on trade and economic cooperation, meetings of the working groups and commissions on industry, agriculture, military and technical cooperation, consultations on political, military, consular and banking issues and other bilateral events.
As a result of active meetings and negotiations, the legal and contractual framework of Belarus-Pakistan cooperation has expanded considerably and includes more than 110 official documents, let alone contracts.
What is the priority of the cooperation between Belarus and Pakistan today?
The leaders of the two states have set a task to monetize bilateral relations, convert intentions into contracts and concrete actions. In this regard, trade and economic cooperation currently takes the priority in interaction.
Therefore, it is no coincidence that 52 joint activities, which are included in the Roadmap for the Development of Comprehensive Cooperation between Belarus and Pakistan for 2025-2027 signed in November 2024, are mainly aimed at facilitating the growth of mutual trade.
I would like to note that identifying and coordinating promising joint economic projects, their high-quality planning and implementation are among the most important areas of work of the government and business.
How do you assess the level of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries? What are the dynamics of joint trade?
Belarus’ export to Pakistan amounts to about $30-40 million and is two to three times higher than import from this country, which currently stands at $15 million. At the same time, bilateral trade gained momentum in 2023-2024. There is every reason to believe that growth will continue this year too.
I would like to point out that Belarus’ major exports to Pakistan are tractors for the needs of Pakistani agriculture, synthetic yarns and fibers for the textile industry, baby food and milk powder, and higher education services. These goods and services are in demand in Pakistan. Now the task is to increase the volume of their supplies and to introduce new types of tractors, baby food, and education services to the Pakistani market.
For example, MTZ tractors have been exported to Pakistan since the Soviet times and have proven themselves as reliable, economical and easy to maintain. Therefore, they are in demand in the Pakistani market, despite the presence of two local tractor factories in Pakistan.
As for new types of goods and services, opportunities are being explored to supply Pakistan with Belarusian veterinary and medicinal products, seeds, combine harvesters, trailed and mounted equipment, rock haulers, excavators, electric buses, road-building, municipal, and agricultural machinery, as well as medical and tourist services.
Whether these opportunities become a reality will depend on the effectiveness of the strategies of Belarusian exporters and their Pakistani dealers, the situation in the Pakistani market and other conditions.
I would like to emphasize that traditionally Pakistan’s major exports to Belarus include clothing, footwear, rice, fruits, sporting goods, and surgical instruments.
Possibly, supplies of Pakistani mangoes and medicines to our country would be promising.
By the way, Belarusian companies are ready to cooperate with Islamabad in building up convenient logistics routes, with the use of Pakistani seaports.
In my opinion, joint ventures and technology exchange in the agricultural mechanical engineering and textile industry could become new promising areas of interaction.
A number of vacancies in various professions in our country can be filled by Pakistani specialists. At present, together with the Pakistani side, a mechanism of interaction is being worked out to take into account the interests of the two states, employers and employees.
What is the state of the Belarusian-Pakistani humanitarian relations?
I would like to note that we maintain regular humanitarian ties: in culture, education, science, healthcare, and sport.
We have joint commissions and working groups on cooperation in education (the second meeting was held in September 2024), science and technology (the fifth meeting was held in February 2025), healthcare and pharmaceuticals (the meeting was held in December 2022), tourism (the first meeting was held in September 2024).
The meetings were held via videoconference.
By the way, 51 Pakistani students studied in Belarusian universities in the 2023/2024 academic year. The Belarusian side annually allocates a budget-funded quota for two Pakistani students. In the 2024/2025 academic year, quotas have been allocated for two Pakistani students to major in IT. Two Pakistani students are also expected to study in the next academic year in the major Technical Support of Agricultural Production. Pakistani students mainly choose medical and, to a lesser extent, technical universities.
I would like to note that in August 2023, the Pakistani 14-strong team took part in the 2nd CIS Games in Belarus (freestyle wrestling, boxing, swimming, archery, karate). In February 2024, a Belarusian junior tennis team took part in an international tournament in Islamabad. In February 2025, a list of sports competitions to be held in Belarus in 2025 was sent to the Pakistani side with an invitation to take part in them.
The president and secretary general of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences visited the Republic of Belarus in August 2024. Pakistan shows interest in the development of artificial intelligence, laser technologies and technologies for agriculture.
In addition, the Mango Festival organized by the Pakistani side in Minsk has become a traditional and interesting event.
Do you think we can expect the launch of direct air service between Minsk and Islamabad, given the ever growing bilateral ties?
Proposals to launch a direct air service came from various representatives of the Belarusian and Pakistani sides. Plans are in place to organize consultations between the aviation authorities and airlines of Belarus and Pakistan to discuss them professionally.
I think that the launch of the flight will depend on the availability of a sufficient number of passengers - businessmen, students, researchers, workers, engineers, tourists, and civil servants, and this, in turn, will depend on a number of joint projects in various sectors.
Mr Ambassador, how do you assess the interaction between Minsk and Islamabad in international organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?
Belarus and Pakistan cooperate constructively in the United Nations, being guided by the principles of mutual respect, sovereign equality of states and non-interference in their internal affairs.
Although Belarus became a full-fledged member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2024, our state has been actively using this international platform to develop a trustful political dialogue with the SCO member states, including Pakistan.
It is symbolic that Pakistan chaired the SCO Heads of Government Council for the first time in 2024. The Belarusian prime minister took part in the meeting of this Council for the first time too. The event was hosted by Islamabad in October.
Belarus has recently launched a food security initiative in the SCO. In this regard, the Agro-SCO event to be held in Minsk on 3-7 June 2025 as part of the annual Belagro international exhibition. Pakistani representatives and organizations, among others, have been invited to participate in this event.
How many Belarusians live in Pakistan? How does the embassy assist them?
According to the embassy, about 40 citizens of Belarus live in Pakistan; seven of them are on the consular register. Belarusians in Pakistan are mostly women married to Pakistanis and children from joint marriages.
There is a group called Belarusians in Pakistan in the WhatsApp messenger. Participants of the group communicate with each other and also ask various questions to the embassy.
Over the last year, Belarusians applied to the embassy on such issues as legalization of documents, issuance of a temporary passport for return, consular registration, and issuance of invitations for Pakistani relatives to visit Belarus.
In 2024, the embassy assisted Belarusian relatives in processing documents for a Belarusian citizen who died as a result of a plane crash.
Mr Ambassador, are there any plans to ease the visa requirements?
In 2021, Pakistan was included in the list of states whose citizens can ravel to Belarus without visas provided they have a valid multiple-entry visa of an EU member state or the Schengen zone and a return ticket.
The agreement on visa waiver for citizens of Belarus and Pakistan who hold diplomatic and service passports was signed in May 2023 and entered into force in December 2023.
Pakistan, in turn, has included the Republic of Belarus in the business visa list, which makes it possible to obtain within 24 hours a five-year multiple-entry visa and a single-entry visa upon arrival in the country for up to 30 days.
Thus, summarizing our conversation, I would like to express confidence that Belarus and Pakistan will continue to strengthen cooperation in all mutually beneficial areas.
Alina GRISHKEVICH,
BelTA
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