Pakistan and the United Kingdom have agreed to broaden cooperation on counter-terrorism, cybercrime, anti-narcotics, immigration, coast guard operations and training, the Ministry of Interior said on Friday.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the UK Minister of State for Security, Dan Jarvis, at the Ministry of Interior in Islamabad, followed by delegation-level talks.

Cybercrime at the centre

Both sides described cybercrime as a shared, cross-border challenge. "Cybercrime is an international issue, and all countries must work together to effectively address it," Jarvis said, adding that Pakistan and the UK already cooperated closely in several fields and wanted to expand that partnership further.

The talks also covered immigration and coast guard operations, areas where the two countries have worked together on people-smuggling and border security in recent years.

Anti-narcotics pact on the way

The two sides agreed to finalise a memorandum of understanding on anti-narcotics cooperation soon. The agreement is expected to make cooperation between the UK's National Crime Agency and Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force fully operational, giving investigators on both sides a formal channel to share intelligence and coordinate action against drug trafficking networks.

Dialogue continues

The ministerial meeting follows the annual Pakistan-UK Bilateral Counterterrorism Dialogue held in Islamabad on 4 November, where officials reviewed the regional security environment, the threat from groups including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the misuse of social media for extremist propaganda and recruitment. The next round of that dialogue is scheduled to be held in London in 2027.

The expanded cooperation comes as Pakistan seeks deeper security partnerships with Western allies while it continues operations against militant groups along its western border.