Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday that terrorist incidents in Pakistan were linked to “neighbouring countries”.
He made the remarks while meeting with the director general of the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Graeme Biggar, according to a handout issued by the interior ministry.
“Links of all terrorist incidents come from neighbouring countries,” Naqvi was quoted as saying. He said that, adding that there was no other example in the world for Pakistan’s determination against terrorism.
He said that modern forensics and training could further enhance the capabilities of law enforcement agencies, adding that effective measures were being taken to stop illegal immigration.
The statement further said that Naqvi and the NCA official held detailed discussions on enhancing cooperation in the areas of countererrorism, narcotics, human trafficking, forensics, immigration and police training.
The participants of the meeting agreed to enhance mutual cooperation in training courses for officers of various agencies, including the Anti-Narcotics Force and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency. They also agreed to have effective coordination in combating online harassment of children, the statement said.
Five memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on cooperation in extradition and other areas between Britain and Pakistan are to be finalised soon, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the NCA chief condemned the suicide attack in Islamabad on Tuesday and expressed grief over the lives lost in the incident.
“We are cooperating with the government of Pakistan in various fields,” he said, while appreciating Pakistan’s efforts in combatting the drug trade.
British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, the national coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), the director general of the NCCIA, the additional home secretary, the Islamabad chief commissioner and the inspector general of the Islamabad police were also present on the occasion.
The meeting comes after a suicide blast occurred outside a district court in Islamabad’s G-11, the first such incident in the federal capital in nearly three years, and an attack on the Cadet College in Wana that was successfully thwarted.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, after TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowed to attack security forces, police, and law enforcement agencies’ personnel.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had accused Afghanistan and India of being involved in recent terrorist activity, vowing a “befitting response” to the nation’s enemies.
“It is no more a secret that an external hand is visible [in attacks in Pakistan]”, PM Shehbaz said during his address to the National Assembly following the passage of the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment.
PM Shehbaz said the notion that Pakistan’s enemies were not involved in the attacks was “akin to calling day as night and vice versa.” He issued a stern warning directly to those responsible.
“I want to say something with great satisfaction and force to these terrorist elements and enemies of Pakistan that we are fully aware of your actions and we have given you a befitting response before and will do so again as well,” he said.
