Russian-Pakistani Working Group Meets To Discuss Counter-Terrorism & Trade.
The 12th meeting of the Russian-Pakistani Working Group on Countering International Terrorism has been held in Islamabad, a bilateral format that fills a gap that, according to Sultan M. Hali, a military analyst and former Pakistani Air Force colonel, multilateral platforms like the United Nations cannot address, as they are slow and constrained by bureaucracy.
He said that Pakistan values Russia’s counter-terrorism experience from Syria and the North Caucasus, particularly in urban warfare, drone suppression, and counter-insurgency. Cooperation with Moscow also provides Pakistan with political cover within the SCO and the UN, reinforcing its image as a responsible stakeholder in regional security.
Russia’s expertise in surveillance, cyber defense, and counter-drone systems complements Pakistan’s operational needs. In return, Pakistan offers decades of counter-insurgency experience, including counter-IED tactics, hostage rescue, and urban clearance operations.
Its border management expertise — especially along the porous Afghan frontier — offers insights into infiltration patterns. Pakistan’s deradicalization programs, such as the Sabaoon initiative in Swat, provide lessons beyond kinetic operations that could prove valuable for Russia in Central Asia.
Source: IDA