ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Kingdom (UK) have agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of counter-terrorism, organized crime and prevention of illegal immigration, the Pakistani interior ministry said on Saturday.
The understanding to this effect was reached during Naqvi’s visit to the UK, where he visited the National Crime Agency (NCA), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and National Situation Center in London.
The Pakistani interior minister held meetings with NCA Director-General James Babbage, and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Director-General Jonathan Allen, according to the Pakistani interior ministry.
“During the meetings, it was agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of counter-terrorism, organized crime, and cybersecurity was also discussed during the meetings,” the ministry said in a statement.
“It was agreed to enhance cooperation in areas such as drug trafficking, cybercrime, illegal immigration and anti-narcotics.”
Naqvi welcomed the UK’s cooperation in combating the challenge of cybercrime and emphasized the need to adopt a common strategy to deal with the challenge of militancy, according to the interior ministry statement.
Naqvi later visited the National Situation Center, where he was briefed how the center plays a fully active role and monitors the situation in case of a crisis.
The Pakistani interior minister is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom. During his visit, Pakistan and the UK have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to improve coordination between their law enforcement agencies to help combat illegal migration and foster cooperation in drug-prevention. The initiative will also help improve cooperation in combating illicit financial threats and tracking crimes along air and sea borders.
The UK signed a major deal with Pakistan in 2022 under which foreign criminals and immigration offenders from the UK can be returned to Pakistan. Under the new plan, Pakistani nationals with no legal right to remain in the UK, including criminals, failed asylum seekers and immigration offenders, can be removed.
Pakistanis make up the seventh largest number of foreign criminals in prisons in England and Wales, totaling nearly 3 percent of the foreign national offender population.
Pakistan and UK agree to enhance counterterrorism cooperation, strengthen immigration control
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Pakistan and UK agree to enhance counterterrorism cooperation, strengthen immigration control
- The understanding to this effect was reached during Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to UK
- Both sides this week signed a Letter of Intent to combat illegal migration and drug-prevention
Pakistan says it seized 32 square kilometers inside Afghanistan as border clashes escalate
- Security official describes ‘limited tactical action’ in Gudwana after Afghan assaults
- Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants as UN, China and Russia urge restraint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area inside Afghanistan following overnight fighting, a security official said on Saturday, as cross-border clashes between the two countries escalated sharply.
A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said troops carried out a “limited tactical action” in the Gudwana area opposite the Zhob sector along the frontier, capturing Afghan territory after responding to attacks on Pakistani positions.
“On the night of Feb. 26/27, posts opposite the Zhob sector launched anticipated physical attacks on multiple Pakistani positions,” the official said, referring to fighters linked to Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, whom Islamabad identifies as Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA).
“In response to aggressive unprovoked fire and physical attacks, Pakistan security forces launched a limited tactical action on the night of Feb. 27/28 in the general area of Gudwana with a view to capture TTA Tahir Post,” he continued, adding that 32 square kilometers of Afghan territory were seized.
The official said special combat teams crossed the border after preparatory bombardment, supported by intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets providing “real-time battlefield awareness.”
He said 24 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and 37 wounded, with no Pakistani casualties reported.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from Taliban authorities in Kabul of any territorial loss in the Gudwana area.
The latest clashes erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan over the weekend, triggering retaliatory fire along the frontier and sharply escalating long-running tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation that Afghanistan denies.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday evening that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began.
Tarar said Pakistani strikes had destroyed 130 check posts, 171 tanks and armored vehicles and targeted 41 locations across Afghanistan by air. Those figures could not be independently verified.
The United Nations, as well as China and Russia, have called for restraint.
The United States said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
