ISLAMABAD: Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif recently met Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Mohsin Naqvi in Riyadh to discuss security cooperation and joint measures for combating narcotics.
Prince Abdulaziz welcomed the Pakistani minister and his accompanying delegation to Saudi Arabia, highlighting that the meeting was held under the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to strengthen security cooperation in light of the distinguished relations between the two countries.
During the meeting, discussions centered on enhancing security cooperation, particularly the fight against drug trafficking. The two sides also addressed various issues of mutual interest.
“The ministers discussed security cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” the Pakistani Interior Ministry said in a statement.
“Prince Abdulaziz and Mohsin Naqvi also reviewed measures to combat drug smuggling and other matters of mutual interest. The meeting included discussions on advancing cooperation in narcotics control,” the statement added.
Naqvi’s meeting with the Saudi interior minister followed a meeting on Monday with Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Qarni, head of the Kingdom’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control.
During their meeting, the two officials discussed enhancing mutual cooperation in narcotics control, according to the Pakistani Interior Ministry.
“Both sides agreed on more effective measures under bilateral assistance for narcotics control,” the ministry said in a statement. “The Saudi side offered to assist Pakistan by providing the latest equipment for drug detection.”
Naqvi visited various sections of the directorate, where Saudi officials briefed him on the Kingdom’s narcotics control efforts.
“No country can tackle the menace of drugs alone. This has become a shared challenge for the nations of the world,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by his ministry. “Pakistan will continue to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in anti-narcotics efforts.”
On Sunday, the Pakistani minister also met the Kingdom’s director of Public Security, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, and inspected various departments of the state-of-the-art directorate and the Safe City Center.
“During the meeting, it was agreed to activate the joint task force (on public security) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia soon,” the Pakistani Interior Ministry said, with Naqvi adding that he was glad to see “excellent” public security mechanisms in Saudi Arabia and that both sides could benefit from each other’s experiences in police training.
