Pakistan, Russia chalk out national strategies to combat terrorism

• Pakistan, Russia discuss enhancing bilateral ties, counter terrorism. 
• JWG underscores complexity of terror landscape, need for vigilance.
• Two sides discuss forms of radicalisation, spread of terror ideologies.

Pakistan and Russia outlined their national strategies and measures against militancy at the 10th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism and Other Challenges to Security, held in Islamabad on November 16, the Foreign Office said on Friday. 

Additional Foreign Secretary Ambassador Syed Haider Shah and Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Ambassador Sergey Vershinin co-chaired the meeting.

Besides sharing experiences and best practices, the two sides highlighted the importance of national efforts in the broader fight against terrorism.

Separately, Islamabad and Moscow discussed enhancing bilateral relations, counter-terrorism collaboration, and regional stability in a meeting of Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Jilani and the Russian deputy foreign minister.

A statement issued by the FO about the JWG meeting said that the Pakistani and Russian ambassadors discussed at length global and regional terrorist threats, with a particular focus on the situations in Afghanistan, Central and South Asia, and North Africa. 

The dialogue also underscored the complexity of the terrorism landscape and the need for continued vigilance.

The meeting was part of regular exchanges in the backdrop of Pakistan-Russia bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation.

The two sides agreed to strengthen collaborative efforts to effectively combat terrorism, underscoring the mutual benefits of such cooperation.

Discussions on enhancing cooperation in multilateral forums, such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), were particularly fruitful. The two sides resolved to work together in combating the financing of terrorism and in other key areas of counter-terrorism.

The two sides also discussed the various forms of radicalisation, the spread of terrorist ideologies, and the misuse of information and communication technologies for terrorist purposes. They agreed on the need for comprehensive strategies to counter these challenges.

The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the commitment of both Pakistan and Russia to continue their cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The sides recognized the importance of their partnership in maintaining regional and global security.

The next meeting of the Working Group will be held in 2024.