Pakistan and Russia have agreed to deepen cooperation against organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime and illegal migration. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, reached the understanding after talks in Islamabad.
The meeting was held at the Ministry of Interior, where the two ministers discussed shared concerns at the delegation level. During the session, both sides signed a memorandum of understanding on collaboration and information sharing to counter organised crime.
Readmission, extradition and prisoner exchange agreed
The ministers decided to put the readmission agreement into effect as soon as possible. They also agreed to finalise accords on extradition and the exchange of prisoners.
Both countries will strengthen ties between Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force and relevant Russian agencies. Working groups from the two interior ministries will also visit each other soon to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral ties.
Labour mobility, visas and police training on the agenda
The talks covered sending skilled Pakistani workers to Russia. They also addressed steps to ease visa procedures for tourists and business people.
Both sides agreed to step up cooperation on cybercrime. They also pledged to build institutional links between Pakistan’s National Police Academy and Russia’s police academy.
Naqvi and Kolokoltsev stress law enforcement ties
Naqvi said the agreement on organised crime would be an important milestone in relations between the two countries. He said easier visas would increase contact between people in Pakistan and Russia, and that Pakistan wanted to learn from Russia’s experience in fighting cybercrime.
Naqvi also said around 1,300 Pakistani students are currently studying in Russia, and he expressed a wish to see more Pakistanis pursue education there. Kolokoltsev said joint measures were essential to prevent all forms of organised crime, including terrorism, drug smuggling and illegal migration.
Kolokoltsev told the meeting that Russia had reduced cybercrime by thirty-three percent. Talal Chaudhry, Minister of State for Interior, the Russian ambassador to Pakistan, senior interior ministry officials and heads of several Pakistani security and investigation agencies also attended.
