A high level delegation from the State Border Committee of the Republic of Belarus, accompanied by officials from IOM-Belarus and IOM-Pakistan, visited the SHARP head office in Islamabad and were warmly received by Project Director Mr. Aatif Afzal and his team.
Mr. Afzal delivered a comprehensive briefing on SHARP’s evolution and its core work in protection, legal aid and humanitarian assistance across Pakistan, underlining the organisation’s practical approaches to complex migration challenges. SHARP’s Chairman and Founder Mr. Liaqat Ali Banori contributed insights on border management and the wider reach of SHARP’s programmes, stressing that effective border management is essential to protect the safety and dignity of migrants and refugees.
Representatives from IRARA presented their programmes and engaged in a constructive exchange on operational lessons and best practices. Discussions highlighted SHARP’s field experience delivering legal aid and protection services to vulnerable migrants and refugees in Pakistan, with both sides sharing case examples and procedural approaches that could inform joint initiatives.
Both parties explored concrete opportunities for future collaboration on training, knowledge sharing and technical cooperation to strengthen border management and refugee protection. Ms. Rukhsana Jafar, Senior Livelihood Assistant at SHARP, outlined the Talent Beyond Boundaries programme and how it links refugees with international employment pathways, adding a practical dimension to the talks.
The visit reinforced a shared commitment to deepen international partnerships between SHARP, the State Border Committee of Belarus, IOM and civil society partners, and to translate dialogue into collaborative projects that improve migrant protection and border management practices in the region.
