Pakistan and Russia to finalise treaty for exchange of criminals

Pakistan and Russia have agreed to finalise an extradition treaty to facilitate the transfer of criminals between the two countries, while also planning a new agreement to prevent organised crime.

The agreements were discussed during a meeting between Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev in Islamabad on October 14.

The two sides agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation and information sharing to prevent organised crime. They also agreed to implement an existing readmission agreement at the earliest.

The discussions covered several security challenges, including cybercrime, drug trafficking, terrorism and illegal migration. Both countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation between their relevant law enforcement agencies.

Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force will work more closely with Russian authorities to improve coordination against drug trafficking. The two sides also discussed arranging visits by working groups from their interior ministries to explore further areas of cooperation.

The meeting also focused on strengthening institutional ties between Pakistan's National Police Academy and its Russian counterpart.

Beyond security matters, the two countries discussed facilitating visa procedures for tourists and businesspeople and exploring opportunities for skilled Pakistani workers in Russia.

Naqvi said Pakistan wanted to benefit from Russia's experience in combating cybercrime. He also highlighted the presence of around 1,300 Pakistani students in Russia and expressed interest in expanding educational opportunities.

Kolokoltsev stressed the importance of joint efforts to tackle organised crime, drug smuggling and illegal migration. He also said Russia had reduced cybercrime by 33% through measures introduced by its authorities.