LONDON: Pakistan and the United Kingdom on Fri­­day signed a letter of intent (LoI) to enhance collaboration on law enforcement and criminal justice.

In a statement, the Pakistan High Commission said this agreement — signed in the presence of Minister for Interior Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and UK Home Secretary James Cleverly — underscores the long-standing cooperation between the two countries on issues of immigration and criminal justice.

In the past, both countries have signed mutual legal assistance docume­nts, and worked together on several cases.

Key among these cases is the Imran Farooq case as well as some recent extraditions of Pakistani origin British nationals, such as Piran Ditta Khan who was later convicted in the UK over the murder of a police officer.

In 2022, Home Secretary Priti Patel signed a landmark returns deal with Pa­kistan under which the UK could remove Pakist­ani na­­tionals with no legal right to remain in the country.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2024