By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD:Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya visited Pakistan and was warmly received by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi upon his arrival at the Ministry of Interior. The two ministers held a one-on-one meeting, followed by delegation-level talks.
During the discussions, both sides held detailed consultations on counterterrorism, counter-narcotics, human trafficking, border security, cybercrime, coast guard operations, and police cooperation.
It was agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to further strengthen cooperation between the interior ministries of both countries. The working group will meet four times a year.
Both ministers decided to enhance collaboration in counterterrorism. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that “the security of Pakistan cannot be separated from the security of Türkiye.”
Ali Yerlikaya praised Pakistan’s active role in counterterrorism and counter-narcotics efforts.
The meeting also resulted in an agreement to enhance cooperation in immigration and human trafficking control.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi emphasized that “human trafficking and illegal immigration are global issues that require joint efforts to eliminate.”
Pakistan announced its full support for Türkiye in the upcoming INTERPOL elections. Both sides also agreed to strengthen collaboration in the field of counter-narcotics.
Mohsin Naqvi noted that “despite limited resources, Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force is doing commendable work — not a single case of drug smuggling from Pakistan to Türkiye has been reported in the last five years.”
The two ministers further agreed to increase police training cooperation and benefit from each other’s experiences in various professional domains.
Minister Ali Yerlikaya said that Türkiye attaches great importance to its brotherly relations with Pakistan and is keen to expand cooperation in all fields. He added that the establishment of the Joint Working Group will help further strengthen bilateral collaboration.
The Turkish Interior Minister thanked his Pakistani counterpart for the warm hospitality extended during the visit.
The meeting was attended by members of the Turkish delegation, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Federal Secretary Interior, Special Secretary Interior, Additional Secretaries, DG ANF, DG FIA, Commandant NPA, IG FC, National Coordinator NACTA, DG NCCIA, Chief Commissioner & IG Islamabad, and DG Passport and Immigration.
