ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States vowed to strengthen bilateral ties with a special focus on anti-narcotics cooperation during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and acting US ambassador Natalie Baker on Saturday, said an official statement.

The talks covered intelligence sharing, joint efforts to curb drug trafficking and measures to prevent illegal immigration.

Pakistani officials also briefed the meeting on recent operations by the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) and plans to modernize screening and enforcement at airports.

“We are strictly implementing a zero-tolerance policy on narcotics,” Naqvi said, according to the Interior Ministry.

“Airports are being equipped with the most advanced scanning machines, and detecting drug smuggling at every possible stage is our top priority,” he continued, adding that drugs originating from Afghanistan were reaching dozens of countries and “destroying the younger generation.”

Naqvi said Pakistan would welcome US technical assistance for counter-narcotics efforts and confirmed that a National Narcotics Coordination Center would be established soon.

The statement said Baker offered US support for Pakistan’s work to combat narcotics and prevent illegal immigration, saying Washington attached “special importance” to its relationship with Pakistan and would continue cooperation across sectors.

During the meeting, Pakistani officials presented a detailed briefing on ANF operations, noting that under the annual counter-narcotics campaign, 134 tons of drugs had been seized, 2,001 suspects, including 75 foreign national, arrested and narcotics worth $12.797 billion confiscated.

Authorities also reported arresting 110 Afghan nationals in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces, clearing 40,659 acres of poppy cultivation and maintaining poppy-free status in several regions.

Naqvi said Pakistan regarded ties with the US as important for promoting regional peace and stability and remained committed to strengthening long-standing bilateral relations.

The meeting was also attended by the interior secretary, the ANF director general, the director of enforcement and officials from the US embassy.