ISLAMAbAD, Jan 24 (Alliance News): President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday met Somalia’s Minister of Interior, Ali Yousuf, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Somalia and other African countries.
During the meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president witnessed the signing of an agreement abolishing visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports between Pakistan and Somalia.
According to a press release issued by the President Secretariat Media Wing, the agreement was signed by Hamza Adan Haadoow, Permanent Secretary of Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Dawood Muhammad Baraech, Special Secretary of Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control.
President Zardari said Africa is an important part of the global political landscape and noted that Pakistan aims to expand cooperation with African states, including Somalia. He said Pakistan values its long-standing relationship with Somalia and supports closer collaboration in areas of mutual interest.
The president was informed that this visit by the Somali interior minister was the first official bilateral visit from Somalia to Pakistan in the past 35 years.
He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to regional and international efforts against transnational crime and narcotics trafficking. Broader regional developments and opportunities for bilateral cooperation were also discussed during the meeting.
Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry were also present. The Somali delegation included Somalia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Sheikhnur Mohamed Hassan, and Deputy Police Chief Osman Abdullahi.
Ali Yousuf thanked the government and people of Pakistan for the warm hospitality and conveyed greetings from the President of Somalia.
He also handed over a letter to President Zardari expressing Somalia’s desire to further strengthen bilateral ties.
The Somali minister described Pakistan as a trusted partner and recalled the sacrifices made by Pakistani peacekeepers during United Nations missions in Somalia in the 1990s. Both sides discussed enhancing cooperation in law enforcement, including the possibility of negotiating a bilateral extradition treaty.
The meeting also explored cooperation in counter-narcotics efforts, intelligence sharing, and training of law enforcement personnel.
President Zardari was informed that Pakistan has offered assistance through the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) in identity management, civil registration, and secure documentation systems, along with training for the Somali police force.
