Belarus President's Pakistan visit raises Western concerns over Russia ties

Islamabad, Nov 28 (PTI) Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko's visit to Pakistan largely flew under the radar amid protests by Imran Khan's party in Islamabad but his sojourn has been noticed where it matters most – the West.
     The Belarus leader returned home on Wednesday after a three-day official visit to Pakistan.
     When police and paramilitary units were trying to control the situation in Islamabad following the arrest of nearly a thousand protesters during a march by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party demanding his release, Pakistan and Belarus were holding high-level talks at the Prime Minister's House, The Express     Tribune newspaper reported.
     The two countries agreed on a number of initiatives after Lukashenko's visit. They signed fifteen important agreements and MoUs, including the Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation for the period 2025-2027.
     The roadmap focuses on enhancing bilateral economic cooperation between Pakistan and Belarus. An 18-point joint statement covers many areas of cooperation, including agriculture, information technology, maritime and other fields.
     Some diplomatic sources view Lukashenko's trip as part of growing exchanges between Pakistan, Russia and its allies.
     He is considered quite close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who often conveyed his messages to the West through the president of Belarus.
     It is believed that Lukashenko also delivered a stern warning on behalf of Putin to the European countries for supplying arms to Ukraine.
     Against this backdrop, many Western capitals viewed the current visit of Lukashenko to Islamabad with a lot of interest.
     According to diplomatic circles, the visit at this juncture when the Western country's relations are on edge with Russia has great significance.
     Official sources brushed aside any concerns, saying the visit of the Belarusian president highlighted Pakistan's robust foreign policy.
     However, Pakistan and Belarus ties have remained on the radar of the West, particularly the United States.
     In April this year, the US banned a Minsk-based company from supplying technology that the State Department alleged helped Pakistan's long-range missile programme.
     Pakistan dismissed the US move, but the issue highlighted the close scrutiny Islamabad and Minsk ties are under from the West.
     Sources said Pakistan, despite being dependent on the West, particularly for the International Monetary Fund bailout, is keen to diversify its foreign policy options.
     Lukashenko is currently the longest-serving president in the world, as he became head of state in 1994. Belarus was part of the former Soviet Union till its disintegration in 1991. But despite breaking away from the Soviet Union, Belarus has maintained close ties with Russia.
     Under Lukashenko, the relationship between Russia and Belarus improved so much that the West has often viewed Minsk as a satellite state of Moscow.
     Russia maintained military bases in Belarus, which fully backed Moscow in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, according to the paper.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)