Pakistan, Russia plan joint strategy against Afghan-based terrorist networks

NEW YORK: Pakistan and Russia agreed on Wednesday to develop a joint strategy against terrorist networks operating in the region, particularly in Afghanistan, as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held talks with Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Alexandrovich Kolokoltsev on the sidelines of the fifth United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UNCOPS-2026).

The two interior ministers discussed the regional security situation and ways to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, cybercrime and law-enforcement training, the interior ministry said.

They also explored the possibility of conducting joint police exercises and developing coordinated approaches against terrorist networks operating in the region, it added.

Both sides agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between their respective ministries to further institutionalise bilateral cooperation. The meeting also reviewed progress on decisions taken during their previous talks, while Naqvi invited his Russian counterpart to visit Pakistan, it added.

During the meeting, Naqvi said more than 25 terrorist organisations were active in Afghanistan and stressed that eliminating extremist groups was a collective responsibility requiring coordinated efforts.

On Tuesday, Naqvi had met Chinese Minister of State for Public Security and Head of the Special Service Bureau Ling Zhifeng.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening security cooperation, including counterterrorism, border management, combating irregular migration and counter-narcotics efforts.

Naqvi said there was an urgent need to stop terrorist financing at every level and stressed that countries involved in sponsoring and financing terrorism must be collectively confronted.

He highlighted Pakistan’s establishment of a Special Protection Police Force to ensure the security of Chinese nationals residing and working in the country and said greater people-to-people contacts and visa facilitation were necessary to strengthen bilateral relations.

The Chinese minister appreciated Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and emphasised the need for continued cooperation between the two countries.

Naqvi calls for greater cooperation to tackle transnational threats

Meanwhile, addressing the UN Chiefs of Police Summit, Naqvi called for greater international cooperation to tackle transnational security threats, saying that “the world faces common security challenges” that “do not stop at national borders.”

“Terrorism, organised crime, cybercrime, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and money laundering,” he said, listing the challenges confronting countries around the world.

“These threats affect all of us. No country is safe from them. And no country can deal with them alone,” Naqvi said.

He said international cooperation was “more important today than ever before” and urged countries to strengthen coordination among their law-enforcement agencies.

“We must work together. We must trust each other. We must share information quickly. We must support one another. And we must build stronger partnerships between our law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Naqvi also highlighted the need for police forces to adapt to technological changes, warning that criminals were using new technologies to commit crimes.

“Technology is changing very fast. Criminals are using new technology to commit crimes,” he said. “So we must also use modern technology to prevent them.”

He added, “We must improve the skills of our police officers. We must strengthen training. And we must make greater use of innovation.” ...