Pakistani Workers
MINSK, April 11, 2025 — In a significant development for Pakistan’s workforce and international labor cooperation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Belarus has extended a “generous offer” to employ over 150,000 skilled Pakistani workers.
Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, the premier described the move as a “gift for the people of Pakistan,” expressing heartfelt gratitude to the Belarusian leadership.
During the press stakeout, PM Shehbaz highlighted the potential of this collaboration to not only support Belarus’s national development efforts but also offer valuable employment opportunities to Pakistan’s youth.
He emphasized that the Pakistani workforce, professionally trained and certified according to both international and national standards, would prove to be a vital asset for Belarus.
The announcement was made during Prime Minister Shehbaz’s official visit to Belarus, undertaken at the invitation of President Lukashenko. This visit follows a series of diplomatic engagements, including the Belarusian president’s own visit to Pakistan in November 2024.
During that trip, more than a dozen memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed, setting the stage for a new era of bilateral cooperation.
Reflecting on previous high-level engagements dating back to 2015-2016, PM Shehbaz noted the deepening ties between the two countries. He voiced a strong desire to learn from Belarus’s advanced capabilities in agriculture, stressing the need for joint ventures to increase per-acre crop yield in Pakistan—a country where 65% of the population lives in rural areas.
The Prime Minister also pointed to opportunities in mining and mineral exploration, saying that Belarus’s expertise in manufacturing equipment for the mining sector could greatly assist Pakistan in unlocking its mineral wealth, which is estimated to be worth trillions of dollars.
President Lukashenko, in his remarks, welcomed the Pakistani delegation warmly and reiterated Belarus’s commitment to strengthening ties with Pakistan across multiple sectors including trade, agriculture, technology, and industry.
He expressed optimism that this high-level engagement would serve as a catalyst for a long-term strategic partnership between the two nations.
In addition to the labor cooperation, several key agreements were signed between the two countries during the visit. These included a Readmission Agreement and a Cooperation Agreement between the interior ministries of both nations, as well as a defense cooperation pact. A roadmap for military-technical collaboration from 2025 to 2027 was also finalized.
Other agreements signed covered cooperation in environmental protection, postal services, business development, and trade promotion, further solidifying the foundation of a robust bilateral relationship.
The joint commitments and agreements reflect the growing momentum in Pakistan-Belarus relations, signaling a new chapter of economic partnership and mutual growth.
