Pakistan and Egypt held high-level discussions on Saturday to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism, anti-narcotics, and cybercrime, as the two nations seek to broaden their bilateral engagement. The meeting took place between Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and an Egyptian interior ministry delegation led by Major General Magdy Helal.
Historical Ties
Pakistan and Egypt share longstanding diplomatic, political, and defense relations dating back to the early years of Pakistan's independence. Egypt was among the first Middle Eastern countries to recognize Pakistan, with formal diplomatic relations established in 1948.
Key Areas of Cooperation
During the meeting, both officials agreed to strengthen cooperation between their interior ministries, aiming to benefit from each other's experience in various fields. According to a statement from Pakistan's interior ministry, discussions focused on promoting collaboration in security, counterterrorism, anti-narcotics, cybercrime, and safe city initiatives.
The statement further noted that it was decided to strengthen cooperation for joint training of officers between the National Police Academy and the Egyptian Police Academy. Minister Naqvi stated that a Pakistani delegation would soon visit Egypt to explore new opportunities.
Recent Military Exercises
The Egyptian delegation described visits to the Anti-Narcotics Force headquarters and the National Police Academy as highly beneficial. In April, the Pakistani and Egyptian armies concluded a two-week joint military exercise at the Special Operations School in northwest Pakistan, involving the Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG) and Egyptian special forces to enhance interoperability.
Last October, both countries agreed to strengthen economic and security cooperation during a meeting between Pakistan's Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo.
