Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie E. Baker held a significant meeting in Islamabad, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening Pakistan-US ties as crucial for stability and peace in the region. The central focus of their discussion was boosting bilateral cooperation in security, intelligence sharing, and implementing joint measures to counter transnational challenges like narcotics trafficking and illegal immigration.
The two leaders agreed to deepen collaboration in security and anti-narcotics efforts. A key part of the meeting involved a detailed briefing by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on its operational successes. The data presented revealed that under the annual campaign, the ANF had seized 134 tons of narcotics, valued at a staggering $12.797 billion globally, and arrested over 2,000 suspects, including 75 foreigners. The briefing also highlighted the successful clearance of thousands of acres of land to maintain Pakistan’s poppy-free status.
Natalie Baker praised the ANF’s performance and offered maximum technical assistance to aid Pakistan’s efforts in counter-narcotics and curbing unlawful migration.
Minister Naqvi asserted that Pakistan maintains a “zero tolerance” policy towards both narcotics and illegal immigration. He detailed ongoing efforts to modernize border security, including the installation of advanced scanning machines at all airports to prioritize drug case identification. While welcoming US technical support, he voiced concern over the transnational threat posed by drugs emanating from Afghanistan, which he noted are reaching dozens of countries and impacting the youth. The Minister concluded by announcing that a National Narcotics Coordination Center would soon be established under the Prime Minister’s directive.
