ISLAMABAD, July 27: Pakistan and the United Kingdom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve police system and enhance cooperation in the war against terrorism.
This was stated by Interior Minister Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat during a press conference held at the interior ministry on Tuesday. The minister said that the MoU was signed at his week- long visit to the UK which ended on Monday.
He said National Police Bureau (NPB) Director-General Shoaib Suddle was still in the UK to finalize the procedure regarding cooperation between Pakistani police and London Metropolitan Police (LMP) in the fields of police reforms, drug control, information sharing, counter terrorism, new modes of investigation, forensic science laboratories and traffic control.
The minister said that the two countries were also looking into legal aspects of signing extradition treaty and exchange of prisoners. He said the UK government wanted re-admission (repatriation) of illegal Pakistani immigrants in the UK. The two sides also discussed means and ways to control human trafficking.
Under the MoU, the two countries would exchange police delegations for training and information sharing. Mr Hayat termed his visit successful in terms of redressal of complaints lodged by overseas Pakistanis in the UK regarding provision of National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP).
He said the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had established its two swift centres in London and Birmingham.
The minister said that dual nationality holder Pakistanis who also hold the NICOP, would not require visa while arriving in Pakistan.
Replying to a question about a terrorist group arrested from Gujrat, the minister said that they included Africans and Pakistanis.
He said the gang had links with international terrorist network. "During interrogation, we have found important clues regarding their links," he added.
About the rocket attacks on important installations and buildings in Balochistan, he said those involved in such acts were not terrorists but had political and other motives. "We have given a task to our law-enforcement agencies to tackle the situation in Balochistan," he added.
Talking about Hadood ordinance and honour killings, he said the government was making amendments in section 302 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) under which killings in the name of respect and honour would not be considered a simple murder.
He said so far there was no law in the country which differentiated a simple murder and honour killing. Replying to a question about Blasphemy laws, the minister said: "We would not allow anybody to misuse Blasphemy laws as the Constitution guarantees equal rights to every Pakistani without any discrimination and distinction in their cast, sect and religion."
