Pakistan, Sri Lanka Agree to Boost Cooperation Against Narcotics and Transnational Crime

Islamabad, July 8: Pakistan and Sri Lanka have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in combating narcotics, curbing illegal immigration, and enhancing police training as part of efforts to tackle transnational crime.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sri Lankan Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala on the sidelines of meetings at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance coordination to combat drug trafficking, expand cooperation in police training, and intensify efforts to prevent illegal immigration and the use of forged travel documents. They also discussed finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening collaboration against criminal networks and money laundering.

The two ministers agreed to establish a Joint Working Group between the interior ministries of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They also resolved to address visa-related issues on a priority basis, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in security, law enforcement, and people-to-people connectivity.