Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: US Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Todd D. Robinson has visited Islamabad from June 29th July 2 to discuss the US-Pakistani partnership, highlighting the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations.

During his visit, assistant secretary Robinson met with senior government officials to discuss US-Pak cooperation on several topics, including counter narcotics, gender issues, transnational crime, and border security, a press release on Saturday said.

The assistant secretary Robinson also took part in celebrating the 75 years of US-Pakistani relations and INL’s 40-year partnership with Pakistan under the theme “justice, security, and prosperity.”

On June 30, the assistant secretary participated in the groundbreaking of the Anti-Narcotics Force Academy (ANF) construction and training project, valued at $2.2 million (451.7 million PKR), hosted by implementing partner United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Ministry of Narcotics Control Minister Shahzain Bugti and ANF Director General Ghulam Shabbir Narejo also attended.

The assistant secretary also attended a ceremony to celebrate the delivery of $1.44 million (295.7 million PKR) of commodities to the excise, taxation and narcotics control of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a KPK provincial agency that has a drug interdiction mandate.

On July 1, the assistant secretary joined Inspector General of Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North Major General Adil Yamin, Inspector General of Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa South Major General Muhammad Munir Afsar, and senior Frontier Corps leadership for an inauguration and agreement signing ceremony for two joint projects worth approximately $10.5 million (2.1 billion PKR).

The inauguration celebrated completion of 45 new structures at FC KP North’s Warsak Training Center, including accommodation barracks for 500 men and 128 women, classrooms, and facilities for physical training.

The officials also signed an agreement for the construction of women’s facilities at eight existing FC KP South regional headquarters.

The US government-funded project will provide barracks, dining halls, kitchens, and other facilities that will support stationing of up to 128 women Frontier Corps members at each location.