Pak-US strategic dialogue fourth round begins today
Pakistan and United States strategic dialogue on energy
sector would recommence on Wednesday in which the energy working groups of the
two countries would meet here for the fourth round. Talking to Business Recorder,
US Embassy acting spokesman Robert Raines said that it was continuation of the
Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue in which various measures would come under
discussion to help overcome the energy crisis of Pakistan.
About whether the dialogue would be deemed as resumption of postponed Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue, Raines confirmed saying that the dialogue was continuation of the strategic dialogue between the two countries, adding that the meeting of energy working group was part of the Pak-US strategic dialogue. He further said that it would be the fourth meeting of the group.
The strategic dialogue was postponed for indefinite period when tensions between the two strategic partners in war against terrorism-Islamabad and Washington, raised following the Raymond Davis episode and the May 2 incident when a US midnight raid in Abbottabad killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
During her trip to Pakistan after the Osama raid to mend the fences, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton indicated that the two countries would soon resume the strategic dialogue but diplomatic sources said that the main hurdle in improving relationship between the two strategic partners was on the operational level. However, Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua told weekly briefing last Thursday that the hurdles at the operational level in strategic convergence between the two countries, were mainly addressed and efforts were still continued in this regard.
Sources said that Minister of Water and Power Naveed Qamar would lead Pakistan delegation in the energy working group while US Department of States special representative Carlos would lead his country delegation. The US delegation would also visit various thermal and wind power projects in the country.
About whether the dialogue would be deemed as resumption of postponed Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue, Raines confirmed saying that the dialogue was continuation of the strategic dialogue between the two countries, adding that the meeting of energy working group was part of the Pak-US strategic dialogue. He further said that it would be the fourth meeting of the group.
The strategic dialogue was postponed for indefinite period when tensions between the two strategic partners in war against terrorism-Islamabad and Washington, raised following the Raymond Davis episode and the May 2 incident when a US midnight raid in Abbottabad killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
During her trip to Pakistan after the Osama raid to mend the fences, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton indicated that the two countries would soon resume the strategic dialogue but diplomatic sources said that the main hurdle in improving relationship between the two strategic partners was on the operational level. However, Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua told weekly briefing last Thursday that the hurdles at the operational level in strategic convergence between the two countries, were mainly addressed and efforts were still continued in this regard.
Sources said that Minister of Water and Power Naveed Qamar would lead Pakistan delegation in the energy working group while US Department of States special representative Carlos would lead his country delegation. The US delegation would also visit various thermal and wind power projects in the country.
Drug-free region: Pakistan, India sign MoU
Pakistan and India on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) and also agreed to continue their efforts for a drug-free
region. They expressed helplessness to cap the main sources of drug production
and trafficking in Afghanistan. The two countries have agreed to continue
sharing actionable intelligence and adopting a co-ordinated strategy to prevent
cross border drug trafficking, besides best practices in the field of counter
drug trafficking and demand reduction.
They reached an agreement on the second day of the 8th Director General level talks between India and Pakistan on Drug trafficking held here at Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Headquarters. O.P.S. Malik, Director General Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) led the 11-member Indian delegation in the talks while Major General Shakeel Hussain, Director General, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) led the Pakistan side.
The DG-level talks held after a passage of five years and during two-day talks the two sides have discussed host of issues related to traditional and synthetic drug trafficking. They also agreed to enhance the mutual co-operation through effective and sustained steps to control the drug trafficking. During the talks the two sides shared the concern of growing menace of narcotic drugs, but expressed satisfaction over the cooperation and information sharing between ANF and NCB.
At the end of the two-day dialogue, the two sides inked MoU on Drug Demand Reduction and Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics Drugs/Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals and related matters. After signing the MoU, the two Director Generals hold a joint press conference, saying that the MoU is a policy document under which both sides will draft their policies to meet the challenges of drug trafficking.
They said no policy was devised during talks or in memorandum regarding exchange of drug smugglers wanted to each other and said that two countries will deal with the operatives and share the information regarding the drug mafia with each other.
Speaking on the occasion, Director General NCB, O.P.S. Malik said the pharmaceutical industry is one of the biggest industries in India and if it is contributing in drug production, India will seriously look into the matter and take strict measures against the people involved in it. "We discussed the issue regarding the chemicals being used in heroin extraction and it was agreed that both the countries would deal with the issue," Malik said.
"We talked to ANF authorities that if they have any information regarding the source of the chemical in India or routes from where it is being smuggled, share with us so that we could cap the sources," he said. He said that pharma-drugs are a big challenge for both India and Pakistan and both the countries can face the challenge jointly. "We will hold investigation seriously on the issue and better efforts would be made to stop the trafficking of pharma-drugs," he added.
Director General NCB said that there are effective checks on border, but it is fact that smugglers are using new routes and new means for trafficking and only effective surveillance and co-operation will help curb the menace. He said that by reaching an agreement and inking MoU, the two sides have succeeded in preparing a bilateral legal framework to deal with drug trafficking and it will help in attaining the desired goals regarding the anti-narcotics.
He said that India and Pakistan are victims of transit trafficking as huge quantity of drugs are coming from Afghanistan and are being smuggled to the US, Europe, Middles East and Far East by using the soil of Pakistan and India. "We have to tackle the menace and the MoU signed today will provide us a direction to deal with it," he added,
This is fact that if a commodity or drug is being produced at one place will not be consumed at the same place, as it can be transported everywhere in the world, Malik said, adding that India and Pakistan are transit countries for narcotics, but we are not only two countries as there are so many others countries, which are used as transit routes.
To eliminate everything at once is not possible, the main aim of inking the MoU to evolve a mechanism for zero rating of drug trafficking, Malik said in response to a question, adding that both countries need to make hectic efforts to obtain the desired goals.
He stressed the need for capacity building of Rangers, BSF and police saying that capacity building of these law enforcement agencies will help sensitise them regarding the drug trafficking. Director General ANF, Major General Shakeel Hussain said during the course of dialogue to counter the trafficking of traditional and synthetic drugs, we have got a good legal framework to deal with the menace.
Both the countries have explained their position and have shown their readiness to cop with the situation with complete seriousness, he said. The MoU signed between India and Pakistan is related to elimination of drug trafficking through mutual co-operation and nothing is mentioned regarding the exchange of operatives, General Shakeel said, adding that extradition is a separate issue and information sharing is another issue and we have not discussed the extradition issue during talks and may we will talk on the issue on later stage.
"Besides a transit country Pakistan is a user country of drugs," General Shakeel said, adding that the drug smugglers are moving towards the high rate markets to get better price and the US and Europe are high rated markets for narcotics, so they are moving towards the countries by using other countries as transit countries.
Responding to a question regarding the statistics of seizure of drugs, General Shakeel that seizure of drugs is not important and more important is the Pakistan was declared a poppy free country in 2001 by UNODC. "Now again this year material was sent to UN for declaring Pakistan a poppy free country again," he added.
They reached an agreement on the second day of the 8th Director General level talks between India and Pakistan on Drug trafficking held here at Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) Headquarters. O.P.S. Malik, Director General Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) led the 11-member Indian delegation in the talks while Major General Shakeel Hussain, Director General, Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) led the Pakistan side.
The DG-level talks held after a passage of five years and during two-day talks the two sides have discussed host of issues related to traditional and synthetic drug trafficking. They also agreed to enhance the mutual co-operation through effective and sustained steps to control the drug trafficking. During the talks the two sides shared the concern of growing menace of narcotic drugs, but expressed satisfaction over the cooperation and information sharing between ANF and NCB.
At the end of the two-day dialogue, the two sides inked MoU on Drug Demand Reduction and Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics Drugs/Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals and related matters. After signing the MoU, the two Director Generals hold a joint press conference, saying that the MoU is a policy document under which both sides will draft their policies to meet the challenges of drug trafficking.
They said no policy was devised during talks or in memorandum regarding exchange of drug smugglers wanted to each other and said that two countries will deal with the operatives and share the information regarding the drug mafia with each other.
Speaking on the occasion, Director General NCB, O.P.S. Malik said the pharmaceutical industry is one of the biggest industries in India and if it is contributing in drug production, India will seriously look into the matter and take strict measures against the people involved in it. "We discussed the issue regarding the chemicals being used in heroin extraction and it was agreed that both the countries would deal with the issue," Malik said.
"We talked to ANF authorities that if they have any information regarding the source of the chemical in India or routes from where it is being smuggled, share with us so that we could cap the sources," he said. He said that pharma-drugs are a big challenge for both India and Pakistan and both the countries can face the challenge jointly. "We will hold investigation seriously on the issue and better efforts would be made to stop the trafficking of pharma-drugs," he added.
Director General NCB said that there are effective checks on border, but it is fact that smugglers are using new routes and new means for trafficking and only effective surveillance and co-operation will help curb the menace. He said that by reaching an agreement and inking MoU, the two sides have succeeded in preparing a bilateral legal framework to deal with drug trafficking and it will help in attaining the desired goals regarding the anti-narcotics.
He said that India and Pakistan are victims of transit trafficking as huge quantity of drugs are coming from Afghanistan and are being smuggled to the US, Europe, Middles East and Far East by using the soil of Pakistan and India. "We have to tackle the menace and the MoU signed today will provide us a direction to deal with it," he added,
This is fact that if a commodity or drug is being produced at one place will not be consumed at the same place, as it can be transported everywhere in the world, Malik said, adding that India and Pakistan are transit countries for narcotics, but we are not only two countries as there are so many others countries, which are used as transit routes.
To eliminate everything at once is not possible, the main aim of inking the MoU to evolve a mechanism for zero rating of drug trafficking, Malik said in response to a question, adding that both countries need to make hectic efforts to obtain the desired goals.
He stressed the need for capacity building of Rangers, BSF and police saying that capacity building of these law enforcement agencies will help sensitise them regarding the drug trafficking. Director General ANF, Major General Shakeel Hussain said during the course of dialogue to counter the trafficking of traditional and synthetic drugs, we have got a good legal framework to deal with the menace.
Both the countries have explained their position and have shown their readiness to cop with the situation with complete seriousness, he said. The MoU signed between India and Pakistan is related to elimination of drug trafficking through mutual co-operation and nothing is mentioned regarding the exchange of operatives, General Shakeel said, adding that extradition is a separate issue and information sharing is another issue and we have not discussed the extradition issue during talks and may we will talk on the issue on later stage.
"Besides a transit country Pakistan is a user country of drugs," General Shakeel said, adding that the drug smugglers are moving towards the high rate markets to get better price and the US and Europe are high rated markets for narcotics, so they are moving towards the countries by using other countries as transit countries.
Responding to a question regarding the statistics of seizure of drugs, General Shakeel that seizure of drugs is not important and more important is the Pakistan was declared a poppy free country in 2001 by UNODC. "Now again this year material was sent to UN for declaring Pakistan a poppy free country again," he added.
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