KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Pakistan are set to strengthen intelligence sharing and coordinated operations to combat increasingly sophisticated transnational drug trafficking networks, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said the threat had become more complex, particularly with the growing use of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and the involvement of organised crime networks operating across borders.
He said this during his visit to the Pakistan Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) headquarters in Islamabad yesterday, where he received a briefing from ANF Director-General Maj Gen Abdul Moeed on current drug threats, regional trafficking routes and enforcement operations.
“Pakistan’s position, directly facing drug flows from Afghanistan, makes cooperation with the country important to Malaysia, particularly as trafficking routes extend into East and Southeast Asia.
“We cannot address this threat solely within our national borders or the ASEAN region,” he said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Aug 22).
Saifuddin Nasution said Malaysia and Pakistan already had a strong foundation for operational cooperation, with more than 28 cases jointly coordinated between 2012 and 2018.
He said the next step was to revive and intensify such cooperation through more active intelligence sharing, coordinated intelligence-led operations, training and the exchange of expertise between enforcement agencies.
The two sides also discussed a proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in combating narcotics, which would provide a more structured framework to strengthen existing collaboration.
Saifuddin Nasution said enforcement cooperation must go beyond agreements on paper, given the increasingly sophisticated nature of transnational criminal networks.
“Information must be shared, intelligence must be translated into action and international networks must be leveraged to disrupt the supply chain before drugs reach our country,” he said.
Separately, Saifuddin Nasution said his official working visit also included a courtesy call on Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
He said the meeting reflected the close Malaysia-Pakistan ties built over nearly seven decades, with discussions covering regional and international developments, dialogue and diplomacy in addressing conflicts, and the need for greater cooperation among Muslim countries in dealing with geopolitical and economic challenges.
The discussions also focused on translating strong political ties into more meaningful economic cooperation, including trade and investment, food security, potential supplies of rice and meat from Pakistan, market access and stronger engagement between the business communities of both countries.
Saifuddin Nasution also shared the outcome of his meeting with Pakistan’s Interior and Narcotics Control Minister, including an agreement to further detail cooperation in security, narcotics control and police training through the establishment of a Joint Working Group.
He said the signing of the International Transfer of Prisoners Agreement between Malaysia and Pakistan was another important outcome of the visit.Both sides also discussed efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties, including proposals to facilitate visa arrangements to encourage greater movement and interaction between Malaysians and Pakistanis.
Saifuddin Nasution said Malaysia-Pakistan relations had significant room for further growth, with closer leadership ties needing to be translated into concrete cooperation that benefits the people of both countries.
He added that the matters raised during the visit would be conveyed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the relevant ministries for further consideration and action.
