Pakistan and EU agree to work together on counterterrorism at UN forums

Pakistan and the European Union have agreed to strengthen cooperation at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, to advance a coherent approach to counterterrorism, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday, Dawn reported.

The agreement came at the 10th round of the Pakistan-EU Counterterrorism Dialogue in Islamabad. Pakistan’s delegation was led by Dr Fareha Bugti, director general for counterterrorism, and the EU side by Anna Strazska, the European External Action Service’s special envoy for counterterrorism.

What was agreed

• Both sides reviewed recent regional and global developments, condemned terrorism in all its forms and reaffirmed their commitment to fighting it.
• The EU condemned recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, expressed solidarity with civilians affected, and recognised the value of Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, the FO said.
• They agreed that effective multilateralism was essential to building lasting international consensus on terrorism.
• They identified priority areas for cooperation and committed to regular, institutionalised engagement.
• The next round will be held in Brussels next year.

Afghanistan concern

“Acknowledging each other’s role in the ongoing global fight against terrorism, Pakistan and the EU expressed concern at the security implications of the situation in Afghanistan,” the FO said.

The talks in Islamabad also covered how terrorist threats are changing, including the exploitation of cyberspace, information and energy resources. The two sides shared best practice on preventing violent extremism, terror financing and radicalisation, particularly terrorists’ use of the internet.

Pakistan’s growing challenge

The dialogue comes as Pakistan’s counterterrorism challenge enters a more complex phase, with militant groups changing how they raise money and recruit, Dawn noted.

At a seminar organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged the Afghan authorities to take “concrete, verifiable and irreversible action” against the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups operating from Afghan soil.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told the same seminar that UN assessments put the number of TTP fighters in Afghanistan at more than 6,000, with the overall militant presence there exceeding 20,000.

Zardari heads to Germany

On the same day, President Asif Ali Zardari left Lahore for a three-day visit to Germany, from October 22 to 24, as the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic relations, Dawn reported. He is due to meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, senior leaders and business figures, with a “particular focus on economic and trade cooperation”, the Foreign Office said. In September, Germany appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts in the region when Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met Dar at the UN, according to the German foreign office.

A busy week with Europe

The counterterrorism talks are part of a broader week of Pakistan-EU engagement. Pakistan will have to apply afresh for GSP+ trade status from January 2027, and the EU ambassador has been meeting textile industry leaders about the scheme.

On the same day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a security meeting in Peshawar, where he blamed the former PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the province’s worsening security.