BRUSSELS, Feb 21 (Alliance News): Pakistan and the European Union held their ninth counter-terrorism dialogue in Brussels on Thursday, reaffirming their commitment to combating terrorism as part of the 2019 Strategic Engagement Plan.
The meeting was led by Maciej Stadejek, Director for Security and Defence Policy at the European External Action Service, and Abdul Hameed, Director General for Counter-Terrorism at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and agreed on strengthening cooperation in countering violent extremism, foreign fighter movements, online and offline radicalization, and terrorist financing.
Discussions also covered regional security challenges, including Afghanistan and the Middle East. The two sides emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation through platforms such as the United Nations and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum, which the EU has co-chaired since 2022.
Meanwhile, the dialogue followed a visit by EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Ambassador Olof Skoog, to Pakistan in January. During his meetings with government officials, civil society representatives, and the business sector, he underscored the need for progress on human rights issues, particularly in the context of Pakistan’s GSP+ trade status review.
The EU reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Pakistan in meeting its human rights obligations through continued dialogue and collaboration.
