Home Secretary Mohsin Naqvi held separate meetings with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott and US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker focusing on bilateral relations, regional developments and areas of mutual interest, his office said on Sunday.
The meetings underlined Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen ties with both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Relations with the United Kingdom have been revitalized through the resumption of air operations after a gap of five years and initiatives such as the recently inaugurated Center of Excellence in Islamabad, a joint project that enhances Pakistan’s ability to tackle transnational crime and streamline mutual legal assistance and extradition processes. At the same time, engagement with the United States reflects growing collaboration on security and counterterrorism.
According to a post on the Interior Ministry’s X account, during the discussions, both sides emphasized improving cooperation in the fight against drugs, human trafficking and security.
“Naqvi expressed gratitude to the British government and High Commission Marriott for resuming flight operations to the UK after a five-year hiatus,” the post read.
Pakistan International Airlines operated its maiden flight from Islamabad to Manchester on Saturday. The national flag carrier began its flights to the United Kingdom after receiving Third Country Operator (TCO) approval for flight operations. In the second phase, the air operation will be expanded to Birmingham and London.
Both envoys also praised Pakistan Navy’s recent anti-narcotics operation.
On October 23, the Pakistan Navy ship Yarmook seized narcotics worth more than $972 million from sailboats in the Arabian Sea. According to the Combined Maritime Force (CMF), a naval association that includes the US Navy, the Pakistani naval vessel intercepted two different ‘dhow’ sailboats within 48 hours last week.
Marriott briefed the minister on the upcoming visit of the Director General of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) next month. “During the visit, memorandums of understanding will be signed in the fields of immigration and anti-drugs,” the message said.
Minister Naqvi highlighted projects such as the Center of Excellence, supported by the British High Commission, as crucial to improving the capacity of Pakistani institutions. “The initiative will further strengthen cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom on mutual legal assistance and extradition,” the statement said.
The British High Commissioner reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to its ties with Pakistan, while Naqvi reiterated Pakistan’s determination to work with the international community to eliminate terrorism.
Meanwhile, Chargé d’Affaires Baker described Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism and extremism as commendable and pledged continued cooperation on security and counterterrorism.
In August, Acting Counterterrorism Coordinator Gregory LoGerfo and Baker participated in the U.S.-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue, advancing their shared determination to combat the global threat.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the dialogue was co-chaired by Special Secretary (UN) Ambassador Nabeel Munir and LoGerfo, adding that the two delegations underlined the critical importance of developing effective approaches to terrorist threats, including those posed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. (TTP).
