Pakistan and Iran have inked an agreement to enhance bilateral and international cooperation in the field of security and combating transnational organized crime.

At a signing ceremony held here, Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik and his Iranian counterpart, Mustafa Najar said that providing internal security will be conducive for trade and to control crimes.He said this is a good development that both the countries have recognized the need for expanding the cooperation in combating terrorisim and eliminating illicit drugs and human trafficking.

Highlighting the scope of cooperation, Rehman Malik said under this agreement both the countries will cooperate in the prevention and combating of organized crimes in the region including smuggling of goods and properties as well as cultural and historical objects and the restitution of such items.

The other areas are crime of forgery of state securities, travel documents, money, credit cards and any other papers of value, illegal economic activities such as money laundering and utilization of income from such activities and illicit trade in weapons, ammunition and explosive materials.

Some other areas include activities which will endanger the national security of the other party, transnational organized crimes, terrorism and any other crimes referred to in this agreement, human trafficking as well as illegal immigration, particularly abuse of women and children and also cyber crimes and other offences which take place by misuse of communication and telecommunication devices.

On a question about methods of cooperation, Rehman Malik said each country will adopt measures for implementation of this agreement which would identify group or persons involved in transnational organized crimes or who are wanted for such crimes and providing relevant information such as pictures, fingerprints He said both the countries would also cooperate with regard tto exchange of information on different types of transnational organized crimes and preventive methods to combat them.

The other areas are exchange of information on laws for prevention of crimes, which have been included in this agreement, exchange of information and experiences on strengthening the management and controlling of borders such as through equipping the border stations and regular meetings between border guards and exchange of information and experiences on new types of narcotics, psychotropic substances, basic and chemical substances and the routes used for drug trafficking.

As per agreement both the countries would also cooperate in exchange of experiences in organizing, training, management and education of their own forces as well as exchange of experts in order to expand bilateral cooperation to prevent organized crimes, terrorist acts, drug trafficking.

The Minister said cooperation between the two countries to prevent and combat terrorism is an important element of this agreement and added both the countries have agreed to combat the activities of terrorists groups which are considered as an offence according to the internal laws and regulations of either of the two countries or against the international convention to which both the countries are signatories.

He said the two countries have agreed to establish a joint working group headed by the Deputy Interior Minister of Iran for Security and the Secretary, Ministry of Interior of Pakistan for monitoring the performance of this agreement, to offer solutions in respect of problems faced during the course of implementation of the agreement and for reviewing and updating of this agreement, if and when required.

Mustafa Najar said the agreement signed would help further cement bilateral ties between the two countries.He also expressed sympathies with people of Pakistan over the terrorist incident in Quetta and said both the countries stand together against terrorism and would eliminate this menace for peace in the region.

Earlier, upon his arrival at Tehran international airport Iran’s Deputy Minister for Interior, Muhammad Fard, Pakistan Ambassador to Iran, Khalid Aziz Babar and other senior officials of the Embassy received Rehman Malik.