Pakistan and China have agreed to strengthen their strategic cooperation in crucial areas, including counter-terrorism, cross-border collaboration, and efforts to combat smuggling. This agreement was established during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and a high-level Chinese delegation led by Chen Mingguo, Minister for Political and Legal Affairs, in Islamabad.
The delegation included key officials from Xinjiang, such as the Deputy Secretary of the Committee of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs, the Executive Director General of Police, and the Vice President of the Xinjiang Police Academy. Both sides decided to conduct joint police and paramilitary exercises in either Gilgit-Baltistan or Xinjiang, with plans for GB police officers to train at the Xinjiang Police Academy.
To further this collaboration, a Pakistani delegation led by the Federal Secretary of Interior will soon visit Xinjiang. The two parties also agreed on comprehensive measures to address the global issue of terrorism. Naqvi emphasized the significance of Xinjiang in Pakistan-China relations, noting the 600-kilometer border they share and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Xinjiang. He expressed a commitment to combatting the smuggling of drugs, arms, and other illicit goods.
Minister Mingguo acknowledged the shared challenge of terrorism, pointing out that Xinjiang has faced significant threats over the years. He noted that Pakistan could benefit from Xinjiang’s counter-terrorism experiences.
The discussions follow recent attacks that have targeted Chinese nationals in Pakistan. In March, a suicide bomber attacked a bus transporting staff for the Dasu hydropower project, resulting in the deaths of six people, including five Chinese nationals. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter-Terrorism Department attributed the attack to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), arresting four key suspects. This incident marked the second attack in three years on Chinese engineers in the region, following a July 2021 bombing that killed 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals.
