Historical Background
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Pakistan recognized the Republic of Belarus on December 31, 1991.  Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on 3 February 1994. Belarus opened its diplomatic mission in Islamabad at Ambassadorial level in July 2014. The Pakistan Embassy in Minsk was established in August 2015. Since the establishment of resident diplomatic missions by both countries, bilateral relations have grown at an unprecedented pace.

Significance of Relationship
Leaders from both the countries have paid visits to each other’s capitals and more than 100 Agreements/MoUs have been signed between both countries, pertaining to advancing cooperation in various spheres, including in the field of commerce and trade. Visits by multiple delegations in follow up to the agreements/MoUs signed during the VVIP visits, have further cemented the relationship.

The mutual will to develop multifaceted bilateral relationship and nurture it in a friendly manner is enshrined in the Islamabad Declaration of Pakistan-Belarus Partnership signed on 29 May 2015, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Belarus inked on 10 August 2015 and the Joint Statement of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and President of the Republic of Belarus issued on 05 October 2016, and on 26 November 2024.

The following characteristics are the basis of Pakistan-Belarus bilateral relations:

• Effective, result-oriented, broad-based, and all-inclusive economic cooperation;
• Closer business to business interaction;
• Vigorous inter-parliamentary cooperation;
• Extending political support to each other at various international forums;
• Dynamic cooperation in the field of culture and education;
• Vibrant defense linkages;
• Striving for comprehensive inter-regional cooperation;
• Comprehensive and extensive legal base of cooperation.

High-Level Exchange of Visits

• From 28-29 May 2015, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The visit was historic in that it was the first-ever VVIP visit between the two countries.
• From 10-12 August 2015, the then Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif visited the Republic of Belarus.
• From 4-6 October 2016, the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko paid the second official visit to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
• From 25-27 November 2024, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko visited the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This was the third visit of the President to Pakistan.
• From 9-11 November 2015, the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, Andrei Kobyakov visited Pakistan on an official visit.
• From 15-16 October 2024, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, Roman Golovchenko, visited Pakistan to attend the SCO Council of Heads of Government Summit.
• From 1-4 February 2017, the then Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Mian Raza Rabbani paid an official visit to the Republic of Belarus.
• From 10-12 April 2017, the Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko headed a delegation for an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
• From May 20-22 2017, Rana Tanvir Hussain, Federal Minister for Defense Production, visited Minsk for participation in the 8th International Exhibition of Arms and Military Machinery “MILEX”.
• From 16-19 December 2018, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Armed Forces of Pakistan paid an official visit to Belarus.
• From 21-29 June 2021, the Federal Minister for Defense Production, Ms. Zobaida Jalal visited Minsk to participate in the Belarusian Military Industrial Exhibition MILEX-2021.
• From 16-19 May 2023, Federal Minister for Defence Production, Mr. Muhammad Israr Tareen, visited Belarus to attend MILEX 2023 (International Arms and Defence Technology Expo).
• From 30-31 May 2023, Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Aleinik visited Pakistan. During his visit, he met with the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Economic Affairs Minister and the Chief of Army Staff.
• From 19-22 August 2024, Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, visited Belarus with a parliamentary delegation.
• In addition to these visits, the leadership of the two countries have held regular interactions on the sidelines of SCO/CICA Summits during 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2024.

Consultation Mechanisms

Effective and meaningful cooperation has been a key determinant in Pakistan-Belarus bilateral relationship. The following initiatives have been undertaken to streamline bilateral cooperation:

• Seven sessions of Pakistan-Belarus Joint Economic Commission (JEC) have been held so far. The seventh Session was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on 24 September 2024.
• Six rounds of Bilateral Political Consultations at the Additional Secretary/ Deputy Foreign Minister level have so far been held between both sides. The last round was held in Islamabad on 2 July 2024.
• Numerous other mechanisms of bilateral cooperation exist between the two countries, including Joint Working Groups (JWG) for Cooperation in the Fields of Industry, Agriculture, Health and Pharmaceuticals, and Science & Technology.

Commercial Cooperation

• During 2021, the bilateral trade turnover between Pakistan and Belarus remained USD 92.55 million with total exports of USD 14.5 million from Pakistan while the imports from Belarus stood at USD 78.05 million. There is untapped potential for further expansion in trade.

Defence Cooperation

• Bilateral Defence ties have been growing steadily. Highest-level visit on the defence side took place from 16-19 December 2018, when Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, paid an official visit to Belarus. From 29 August-02 September 2021, a high-level defense delegation led by the Director General of Foreign Military Cooperation Directorate at the JSHQs, Major General Zahid Mahmood visited Minsk to participate in the Pak-Belarus Joint Staff talks and held negotiations with the Chief of the International Military Cooperation Department of the Belarusian Defense Ministry, Major-General Oleg Voinov.
• The fourth session of Pak-Belarus Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Technical Cooperation (MTC) was held in Islamabad from 22-24 January 2024.
• Defence delegations of Pakistan and Belarus have been regularly participating in MILEX (Belarus) and IDEAS (Pakistan), respectively.

People-to-People Contacts, Education, Culture, Etc.

• Currently, over 40 Pakistani students are studying in various Belarusian universities. Several MoUs have been signed between the Universities of Pakistan and Belarus for cooperation in the field of education.
• To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Belarus, the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of Belarus issued a special commemorative stamp in February 2024.

Pakistani Diaspora

The Pakistani community in Belarus numbers less than 100.

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