Pakistan, Russia Sign Pacts on Illegal Immigration, Drug Trafficking
BISHKEK: Pakistan and Russia on Saturday signed agreements to enhance cooperation in preventing illegal immigration and combating drug trafficking. The agreements were signed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, during a meeting on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
The pacts aim to strengthen collaboration to curb illegal immigration, facilitate the repatriation of citizens, and enhance joint efforts against narcotics and drug trafficking.
During the summit, Naqvi also held a series of bilateral meetings with other regional counterparts. In a meeting with Tajikistan’s Interior Minister Rahimzoda Ramazon Hamro, discussions focused on terrorist camps inside Afghanistan. Both ministers agreed that these camps and narcotics production in Afghanistan pose serious security concerns for the region, noting that an estimated 25 terrorist organisations are currently active there.
With Uzbekistan’s Interior Minister Aziz Tashpulato, Naqvi discussed cooperation between law enforcement agencies and joint training initiatives. The two countries decided to establish a working group to enhance cooperation between their respective interior ministries. A similar working group was also agreed upon with Kazakh counterpart Yerzhan Sadenov to strengthen bilateral cooperation and prevent illegal immigration.
Naqvi also met with Kyrgyzstan’s Interior Minister Ulan Niyazbekov, where they agreed to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The interior minister congratulated Kyrgyzstan on its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Earlier, Naqvi had met with his Iranian counterpart, Eskandar Momeni, to discuss bilateral relations and the regional situation.
Addressing the SCO moot on Friday, Naqvi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the “Shanghai spirit” and called for a joint strategy among member states to counter terrorism, organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime, and terror financing.
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Updated: 12:56 PM PKT — June 6, 2026
In addition to the agreements with Russia, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan on the sidelines of the SCO summit. During his discussion with Tajikistan’s Interior Minister, it was highlighted that an estimated 25 terrorist organizations are currently operating from Afghanistan, posing a direct threat to regional stability.
Agreements were reached with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to establish dedicated working groups to streamline cooperation between their respective interior ministries, focusing on joint training, intelligence sharing, and tackling illegal immigration. The minister also agreed to deepen collaboration with Kyrgyzstan and congratulated the country on its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Updated: 12:25 PM PKT — June 6, 2026
In a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also secured agreements with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to establish working groups to enhance coordination between their respective interior ministries. The agreement with Kazakhstan specifically aims to bolster cooperation in curbing illegal immigration.
During talks with his Uzbek counterpart, Major General Aziz Tashpulatov, discussions also covered joint training for law enforcement agencies. In a meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s Interior Minister Niyazbek Olan Omokanov, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation. Further details from the meeting with Tajikistan’s minister revealed shared concerns over drug production in Afghanistan, with both sides noting that approximately 25 different terrorist organizations active in the country pose a serious regional security threat.
