A 68-member delegation from Belarus landed in Islamabad ahead of President Alexandr Lukashenko’s state visit to Pakistan. However, the foreign dignitaries came the same day PTI party workers from across the country headed to the capital to hold demonstrations despite being barred by the court and the governmentread more

A 68-member Belarusian delegation arrived in Pakistan as the country continues to struggle with the ongoing tussle between the ruling regime and ex-PM Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. According to Pakistani news outlet Dawn, the delegation touched down in Islamabad on Sunday evening, ahead of the formal state visit by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The visit came after Pakistan and Belarus agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September, to establish a trade roadmap for 2025-2027. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the Belarusian delegation was led by the country’s Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov.

“On the eve of the visit of the President of Belarus, a Ministerial delegation led by Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov has arrived in Islamabad. It was welcomed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Addl Foreign Secretary Amb. Shafqat Ali Khan & Ambassador to Belarus, Sajjad Khan,” the Pakistani Foreign Office wrote on X.

On the eve of the visit of the President of Belarus, a Ministerial delegation led by Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov has arrived in Islamabad. It was welcomed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Addl Foreign Secretary Amb. Shafqat Ali Khan & Ambassador to Belarus, Sajjad Khan. pic.twitter.com/8dRplnpF21

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 24, 2024The visit is coming at a turbulent time

While the Belarusian delegation landed in Islamabad, the PTI convoys from across the country were also en route to the national capital in the much-touted power show. The supporters of the former prime minister decided to head to the capital despite a court order and the government warned against it.

The convoy started heading for Islamabad after Imran Khan issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on November 24. The former prime minister denounced what he described as the stolen mandate, the unjust arrests of people and the passage of the 26th amendment. He went on to call Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government a dictatorial regime.

Amid the chaos, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled that PTI’s planned protest was unlawful and directed the federal government to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order in the capital, Dawn reported. Despite the court ruling, PTI supporters, who had set off on their journey earlier in the day, began reaching Islamabad. The party went on to claim that police are detaining its workers and using tear gas to disperse them.

These are visuals of the extreme shelling by fascist regime against own citizens at Islamabad Express!

It’s absolutely disgusting and shameful how inhumanly this government is treating Pakistanis! pic.twitter.com/KIgoOozDMC

— PTI (@PTIofficial) November 24, 2024Pakistan focuses on protecting foreign dignitaries

During the state visit, Lukashenko is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discuss areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. According to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the 68-member high-level delegation includes Belarus’s ministers for energy, justice, transport, natural resources, and emergencies, as well as the chairman of the Military Industry Committee and 43 prominent business personalities.

During the meeting with his Belarusian foreign minister Ryzhenkov, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi termed President Lukashenko’s visit as crucial in strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations. The interior minister stressed that Pakistan greatly values its relations with Belarus and aims to enhance cooperation in various sectors.

Meanwhile, Naqvi also spoke about the looming PTI demonstrations. He mentioned that the PTI supporters were coming onto the route through which the Belarusian delegation was supposed to pass. On Thursday, Naqvi has already maintained that “Protecting foreign dignitaries is our priority.”

On Sunday, he added that the interior ministry had made arrangements for the protest with deployments of personnel from the Frontier Constabulary, Rangers as well as the Islamabad and Punjab police forces, Dawn reported. 

“Nobody is stopping them (PTI) from protesting, but coming to Islamabad and protesting when a foreign delegation is visiting … during such an important time for the country … the public can reach the conclusion that this is a terrible idea,” Naqvi added.