ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and France on Tuesday moved to reinvigorate their institutionalised security dialogue, agreeing to broaden security cooperation and sustain high-level engagement on regional security amid growing instability and shifting dynamics in South Asia and beyond.
The understanding was reached at the eighth round of the PakistanFrance Joint Security Commission in Islamabad, the first such meeting since the mechanism last convened in Paris in 2022.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Defence Secretary retired Lt Gen Muhammad Ali and the French side by Nicolas Roche, Secretary General for Defence and National Security (SGDSN), according to the Foreign Office.
The two sides reviewed issues discussed during the seventh round and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening and implementing cooperation envisaged under the Pakistan-France RoadmapforBilateralCooperation agreed in 2023.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the two countries to takestock of security cooperation after a four-year gap. They agreed to continue the dialogue through staff talks and hold the next Joint Security Commission meeting in France.
The discussions covered regional security developments, with both sides emphasising diplomacy and dialogue in addressing emerging security challenges and promoting peace.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions following conflict in the Gulf, although neither side disclosed which specific regional conflicts were discussed.
According to the Foreign Office statement, the two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation against terrorism and related security challenges, including drug trafficking, piracy and other forms of transnational organised crime.
The inclusion of drug trafficking and piracy alongside terrorism broadens the scope of bilateral security cooperation beyond conventionaldefence ties.
The reference to drug trafficking came amid growing international attention to narcotics smuggling originating in Afghanistan.
The US embassy in Islamabad onTuesday announced the seizure of nearly half a tonne of Afghanorigin crystal methamphetamine, valued at $21 million, from a container at Karachi port bound for Sri Lanka. The seizure was made around Aug 30, according to the embassy.
On the sidelines of the security dialogue, Mr Roche met Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, giving the engagement added significance as the convening of the bilateral security mechanism was accompanied by direct senior-level military contacts.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the two discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security and bilateral cooperation in defence and security domains.
Field Marshal Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and further enhancing defence and security cooperation.
Mr Roche acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability and reciprocated France’s interest in expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.