05 March 2004	Friday	13 Muharram 1425

ISLAMABAD, March 4: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Thursday expressed his government's satisfaction over security arrangements in Pakistan, interior ministry sources said.

During a meeting with Interior Minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, Mr Straw said resumption of British Airways flights three months ago and revision of Britain's travel advisory for Pakistan were manifestation of the growing trust of the international community.

Talking about drug control and anti-terrorism cooperation, Mr Straw said: "We are glad that our goal is the same and cooperation between the two countries is increasing."

Sources said an extradition treaty between the two countries was discussed and was likely to be signed soon. The leaders discussed issues like illegal immigration and human smuggling, the war against terrorism, intelligence exchange and poppy cultivation.

The interior minister said Britain should encourage legal modes of migration to control human smuggling. "The people who go abroad incur huge expenditure and even risk their lives for a better future. We have to facilitate them through orderly migration. Some meaningful legal channel needs to be devised to discourage the human smuggling syndicates," he said.

He apprised the visiting foreign secretary about the steps taken by the government to control the problems, including securing its borders and the issuance of computerized identity cards. Mr Hayat said the government would issue machine-readable passports of international standard.

He said: "If immediate steps are not taken to control poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, the situation might grow out of proportions in the days to come." He appreciated the UK's decision to start full visa service in Pakistan from May 1 and requested the British foreign secretary to consider setting up visa offices in Karachi and Lahore. He said it would benefit Pakistani students.