By Hamza AmeerIslamabad, Feb 14 : Iranian Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a day-long visit to meet senior members in the Pakistan government and discuss important issues related to Pakistan-Iran relations.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has received Vahidi.
As per details, Vahidi, along with his nine-member delegation will be meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, and will be holding important meeting with other government representatives.
“During the day-long visit, the Iranian minister will hold meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and other government functionaries,” read a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Interior.
“Vahidi and Pakistani officials will discuss issues related to Pakistan-Iran border management and the exchange of prisoners,” the statement added.
Both Pakistan and Iran had agreed to form a special committee for effective implementation on an agreement for the exchange of prisoners in October last year.
The border management, especially in relation to cross border movement of banned outfits and human trafficking, for which, Pakistan-Iran border is majorly used by the traffickers to bring people from Pakistan into Iran, and move them towards Turkey and Europe through a managed and active network of agents.
The visit of Iranian Interior Minister holds great importance as it comes a week after the visit of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, who came to Pakistan last week.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his desire to play a role of a mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran and facilitates ways to ease tensions between the two countries.
Pakistan has also been focused on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, a point that will also be part of the discussion with the Iranian Interior Minister.
The recent tensions in Balochistan province, which saw a serious upsurge in targeted terror attacks on security personal and their installations, showed some signs of facilitation and harbouring by terror banned outfits on the Iranian side also.
Terror groups such as Zainabiyoun, have been operating on the Pakistan-Iran border.
Pakistani authorities have in the past launched Intelligence Based Operations, and have neutralised dozens of members of the groups.
hamza/pgh
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