ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: Pakistan and Canada on Thursday pledged to extend their cooperation for fighting terrorism, drug trafficking and human smuggling. A meeting held in the interior ministry between a delegation led by the visiting Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan and Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and his team focused on issues like counter terrorism, narcotics control, human trafficking, money laundering and organized crime.

The Canadian delegation was informed that there was no heroin factory in Pakistan but it was facing the problem of drug smuggling from a neighbouring country.

Before arriving here, the Canadian leader had visited Afghanistan, where she observed the situation regarding poppy cultivation and preparation of drugs.

After arriving here on Wednesday, Ms McLellan called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

She lauded Pakistan’s role in the fight against terrorism, steps to control narcotics trafficking and cooperation in addressing security issues.

She praised the cooperation and support of the interior ministry and the agencies under its control to help the Canadian government meet its security challenges.

“Security and policing have become global issues and Pakistan is playing a useful role in helping the international community in this regard,” she said.

The interior minister, during his meeting with the visiting leader, welcomed the interest shown by Canada in providing assistance and training to Pakistani law-enforcement personnel to combat security issues, particularly in the fields of money laundering and drug control.

Mr Sherpao apprised the Canadian deputy prime minister about the ongoing process of repatriation of Afghan refugees and lauded the efforts of the Canadian government in reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The interior minister called for revision of Canada’s travel advisory and said it did not correspond to the positive situation prevailing on the ground in Pakistan.