Pakistan and Malaysia on Saturday decided to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) for the promotion of bilateral ties as the visiting Malaysian Minister for Home Affairs Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail called on President Asif Ali Zardari and held detailed talks with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad. The decision to set up a JWG was taken at delegation-level talks held between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Malaysian counterpart Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail at the Ministry of Interior in Islamabad.

Both Naqvi and Saifuddin agreed to make intelligence-sharing more effective in order to combat terrorism, drug smuggling, illegal immigration and cybercrimes. It was decided that soon a high-level delegation from Pakistan would visit Malaysia. Collaboration between the two countries for the training of coastguards also came under discussion at the meeting. It was also concurred that cooperation would be increased between the National Police Academy and the Royal Malaysian Police College.

Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi said Pakistan wanted to benefit from the expertise of Malaysian coastguards. He said that Malaysia was a fastest growing Muslim country. He expressed the hope that his Malaysian counterpart’s visit would prove to be a milestone in further cementing ties between the two countries. Naqvi said that Malaysia was the most coveted tourist destination for Pakistanis.

He expressed optimism that by increasing Pakistan’s work quota, more and more Pakistanis would be able to visit Malaysia through legal means. President Asif Ali Zardari called for further strengthening Pakistan-Malaysia cooperation in law enforcement, counterterrorism, narcotics control and combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

The president said this during his meeting with Malaysia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail, at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on Saturday which was also attended by Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, President Secretariat Media Wing said in a press release. Welcoming the Malaysian minister and his delegation, the president said Pakistan attaches great importance to its close and fraternal relations with Malaysia, rooted in shared faith, culture, mutual respect and strong people-to-people ties.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)