Norway and Pakistan Deepen Security Ties with Focus on Counter-Terrorism and Migration Control

Norway and Pakistan have agreed to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism and curbing illegal immigration, the Pakistani Interior Ministry announced Friday. The commitment follows talks in Islamabad between Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Eide arrived in the Pakistani capital Thursday for the first visit by a Norwegian foreign minister in a decade. He held delegation-level discussions with his counterpart, Ishaq Dar, and other senior officials covering the full spectrum of bilateral relations.

During a dedicated meeting at the Interior Ministry, Naqvi and Eide discussed strengthening bilateral ties, regional and international developments, counter-terrorism strategies, and illegal immigration. Naqvi briefed the Norwegian minister on the security situation in Afghanistan, specifically citing the “activities of banned organizations” operating from Afghan soil.

“Afghanistan’s soil is being continuously used for terrorism in Pakistan,” Naqvi stated, according to the ministry. “Pakistan stands as a wall between the world and terrorism. Everyone will have to work together to completely eliminate terrorism.” The remarks come amid a sharp uptick in militancy in Pakistan’s western border regions. Islamabad has long accused Kabul of permitting militant groups to launch cross-border attacks, an allegation the Afghan government denies.

The two ministers also addressed the prevention of illegal immigration, police training initiatives, and mutual legal assistance frameworks. Naqvi noted that Pakistan’s enforcement measures have reduced illegal immigration to Europe by 47 percent, emphasizing that expanding legal migration pathways is essential to sustaining this progress. He expressed hope that Eide’s visit would mark a milestone in advancing bilateral relations.

Eide commended the contributions of the Pakistani diaspora in Norway, noting their active role across various sectors, including politics and healthcare.

On Thursday, Eide met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss cooperation in education, skilled labor, climate resilience, and technology, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. In a separate engagement with Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Norwegian minister discussed regional security and bilateral defense ties. Both sides underscored the importance of collaboration to address shared security challenges and agreed to expand engagement in defense and security domains, the Pakistani military reported.

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