ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and France on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in countering terrorism, addressing related security challenges and combating transnational organized crime during the eighth round of the Pakistan-France Joint Security Commission in Islamabad, the Foreign Office said.
The engagement comes as Pakistan continues to strengthen its defense capabilities, modernize its armed forces and expand its indigenous capacity in areas including aviation, unmanned systems, missiles and defense production. Recent years have also seen greater emphasis on operational preparedness, technological modernization and strengthening Pakistan’s ability to respond to evolving security challenges.
Pakistan’s security engagement with major international partners has also increasingly focused on counterterrorism and regional stability. Islamabad and Washington held the fourth round of their Counterterrorism Dialogue last month, reaffirming their shared resolve to combat terrorism, strengthen border security and disrupt terrorist facilitation networks. The two sides also discussed cooperation against terrorist organizations including Daesh-Khorasan, al-Qaida, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army and its affiliates.
The Pakistani delegation at Tuesday’s commission was led by Federal Secretary for Defence Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Ali, while the French delegation was headed by Nicolas Roche, Secretary General for Defence and National Security (SGDSN), the Foreign Office said.
The session provided an opportunity for high-level exchanges on security and defense cooperation, while the two sides reviewed the status of issues discussed during the seventh round of the Joint Security Commission held in Paris in 2022.
The delegations reiterated their commitment to further strengthening and implementing cooperation in line with the Pakistan-France Roadmap for Bilateral Cooperation signed in 2023 and agreed to continue bilateral dialogue and engagement.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional security developments and underscored the importance of diplomacy and dialogue in addressing emerging security challenges and promoting peace.
They reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in countering terrorism and addressing related security challenges, including drug trafficking, piracy and other forms of transnational organized crime, the Foreign Office said.
Earlier, Roche called on Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations.
Roche was accompanied by French Ambassador to Pakistan Jean-Noël Poirier.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, including regional security and bilateral cooperation in defense and security domains, ISPR said.
The field marshal reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with France and further enhancing defense and security cooperation.
Roche acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace and stability and reciprocated France’s interest in expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest, according to ISPR.
The Pakistan-France Joint Security Commission is an institutionalized mechanism for consultations on security and defense matters, providing a regular platform for the two countries to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The two sides decided that the next round of the mechanism will be held in France on mutually agreed dates, the Foreign Office said.