ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to intensify cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, following high-level talks between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE’s newly established National Anti-Narcotics Authority.
Naqvi emphasized Pakistan’s frontline role in the global war against drugs, vowing “iron-fisted action” against traffickers and smugglers. He revealed that joint operations and intelligence-sharing had already led to significant successes, including the arrest of 400 suspects in the UAE and the seizure of five tonnes of narcotics.
“This success was only possible through timely exchange of information and coordinated efforts,” Naqvi said, warning of a recent surge in synthetic drug trafficking. “The war on drugs is a war for our future generations, and defeat is not an option.”
Sheikh Zayed echoed the sentiment, assuring Pakistan of the UAE’s full support. “We must strengthen our cooperation to provide a safer future for the next generations,” he said.
Earlier, Naqvi congratulated Sheikh Zayed on becoming the authority’s first chairman and praised the UAE’s decision to create a dedicated institution for counter-narcotics. “This initiative will further strengthen joint efforts between our two countries to combat this menace,” Naqvi said.
اسلام آباد ۔وفاقی وزیر داخلہ محسن نقوی سے متحدہ عرب امارات کی نیشنل اینٹی نارکوٹکس اتھارٹی کے چیئرمین شیخ زید بن حماد بن حمدان النیہان کی ملاقات
وزارت داخلہ آمد پر وزیر داخلہ محسن نقوی نے شیخ زید بن حماد بن حمدان النیہان کا خیرمقدم کیا pic.twitter.com/tDGZcT3wA6— Ministry of Interior GoP (@MOIofficialGoP) September 11, 2025
Both sides appointed focal points to advance cooperation: Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) Director General Major General Abdul Mueed and the UAE’s Brigadier Taher Gharib.
The meeting was attended by senior UAE officials, including directors of anti-narcotics departments from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain. From the Pakistani side, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, senior interior ministry officials, and ANF leadership were present.
Both delegations underscored that the expanding partnership between Pakistan and the UAE would play a decisive role in countering narcotics trafficking across the region.
