ISLAMABAD, Jan 30 (APP):Ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan Andrei G Ermolovich has invited Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr Fehmida Mirza for a visit to Belarus in April, for signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding bilateral cooperation in the field of sports and tourism.
The ambassador who called on Dr Fehmida Mirza said that Belarus desired to conduct a sports event between the heads of two states, whenever the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan would visit Belarus, said a press release issued here on Thursday.
Dr Fehmida said, “We can learn a lots of things from Belarus in sports, especially in hockey and football”. She pointed out that the annual winter sports vacations were celebrated in Belarus every year with great zeal and expressed to replicate it in Pakistan as well in order to advance sports promotion throughout the country.
Dr Fehmida said Pakistan has got immense potential in the field of sports and tourism that is yet to be tapped. “To reap the benefits and further mutual cooperation between the two countries, concentrated efforts needed to be paid towards these two areas,” she said.
After stating that there are already established mechanisms between the two countries in some areas, she said that now more focus needed for development of mechanisms in tourism and sports as well.
She claimed that now it was high time to go for the implementation of all MoU’s, more so in terms of investment, exchange of travel operators and also sports coaches.
The ambassador mentioned about the Joint Ministerial Commission’s meeting that was going to be held in March.
On that, Dr Fehmida said that matters of mutual interest like agriculture, industry, tourism, and trade should also be advanced through this meeting.
Besides this, the minister also proposed the ambassador that a joint mechanism similar to that of “Sister Cities Project” could be developed between both the countries and cooperation between the two capitals can be strengthened.
Regarding promotion of sports in Pakistan, she said she was more focused on up-gradation and revamping of the Pakistan Sports Complex and other facilities in order to provide a great deal of facilitation to the athletes.
Meanwhile, the ambassador also appreciated the beauty of Pakistan, its landscape, people and also cuisine. The minister also invited the minister to visit the northern areas of Pakistan and attend the “Shandur Festival” as he showed great interest in playing free style polo.
