Pakistan, Norway Agree to Strengthen Cooperation Against Terrorism, Illegal Immigration

Pakistan and Norway have agreed to increase cooperation in fighting terrorism, illegal immigration, police training and mutual legal assistance.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide on Friday.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the two sides discussed bilateral relations, regional developments and other issues of mutual interest.

Naqvi said Pakistan’s measures had helped reduce illegal immigration by 47%. He said Pakistan has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal immigration and stressed the importance of promoting legal migration.

The interior minister said Pakistan’s efforts had also been recognised by the European Union.

The two sides also discussed the activities of banned organisations operating from Afghanistan. Naqvi said Afghan territory continued to be used for terrorist activities against Pakistan and called for joint efforts to eliminate the threat.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Eide praised Pakistan’s role in helping reduce tensions between the United States and Iran. He also appreciated the contribution of the Pakistani community in Norway, saying it plays an important role in different sectors of Norwegian society.

Naqvi said Eide’s visit would help further strengthen relations between Pakistan and Norway.

Eide arrived in Pakistan on Thursday at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

A day earlier, Dar and Eide held a restricted-format meeting before leading delegation-level talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They reviewed bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Dar said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Norway and wants to further expand cooperation between the two countries.

Eide also praised Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional and international peace, saying these efforts had received international recognition.

The Norwegian foreign minister also led a high-level delegation to General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, where the delegation met Field Marshal Asim Munir. The meeting covered regional security, bilateral relations and other matters of mutual interest.