Pakistan, UK agree to expand cooperation on counterterrorism, illegal migration

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Wednesday agreed to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism, combating illegal migration and human smuggling, institutional collaboration and police training.

The understanding was reached as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met British Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia and the UN Hamish Falconer

According to the interior ministry, Falconer appreciated Pakistan’s “positive and significant” role in facilitating the US-Iran peace deal.

“Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir played a historic role for peace,” it quoted Falconer as saying.

“The US-Iran peace deal has projected Pakistan as a flag-bearer of global peace,” he added.

According to the statement, the two leaders also agreed on “enhancing cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including counterterrorism, combating illegal migration, institutional collaboration, and police training”.

“Positive results are emerging from the UPSCALE Project and the capacity of Pakistani institutions has improved significantly,” the ministry quoted Naqvi as saying.

During the meeting, the interior minister assured that “indiscriminate action was being taken against illegal migration and human smuggling in Pakistan,” it stated.

Meanwhile, the two leaders also discussed Pakistan-UK relations and the overall regional situation, the ministry said.

“Naqvi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening relations with the UK,” the statement said.

“Both leaders agreed to work together to address the issue of fake student visas,” the statement said.

“Naqvi also emphasised that several terrorist organisations were operating from Afghanistan, and the Afghan government must prevent its territory from being used against Pakistan,” the ministry said.

In a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar earlier this week, Falconer had acknowledged that Pakis­tan has the right under inte­rnational law to defend itself against atta­cks originating from Afgh­anistan.

A day earlier, he had also announced an additional £8 million to support joint UK-Pakistan efforts to combat crime and illegal migration.