International   

Pakistan, U.K. sign pact to counter terror

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Britain have concluded an agreement to strengthen co-operation to combat terrorism.

The agreement, which also includes co-operation to combat narcotics, illegal immigration and organised transnational crime, will be operationalised through working group set up under Pakistan's Ministry of the Interior and British Home Office.

According to a joint declaration following discussions between President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Tony Blair in Lahore on Sunday, the first meeting of the working group will be held in January.

The Pakistan Anti-Narcotics Forces are to get two MI 17 helicopters from Britain for use in anti-smuggling operation, particularly along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The British Prime Minister, thanking President Musharraf for "Pakistan's important role" in helping to foil the Heathrow bomb plot in August 2006, has also offered him the U.K.'s full support in countering terrorism, including the exchanges on forensic training, investigating the financing of terrorism, and the sharing of crisis management expertise."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Blockade resumes in Bangladesh
Indonesia lists Iraq agenda
Co-Chairs reviewing Sri Lanka situation
Report blames Gyanendra for atrocities
Pakistan, U.K. sign pact to counter terror
Syria calls for U.S. withdrawal
Saudi arms deal probe closes in on secret papers
Keep off China's affairs, U.S. told
Segregation on campus
Rhodes scholarship for four Indian-Americans

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu