Islamabad, October 22,2026: Pakistan and the European Union (EU) have agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism, countering violent extremism and addressing emerging security threats during the 10th round of their bilateral counterterrorism dialogue held in Islamabad on Thursday.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Director General for Counterterrorism Dr. Fareha Bugti, while the EU delegation was headed by Anna Strzaska, Special Envoy for Counterterrorism at the European External Action Service.
According to the Foreign Office, both sides exchanged views on recent regional and global developments affecting the terrorism threat landscape and unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms.
The EU delegation condemned recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, expressed solidarity with innocent civilians affected by terrorism and acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to combat the threat.
Both sides also expressed concern over the security implications of the situation in Afghanistan, recognising the importance of continued international cooperation in addressing terrorism.
The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen coordination at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, to promote a coherent and effective global counterterrorism approach. The two sides emphasised that effective multilateralism was essential to building lasting international consensus against terrorism.
They also discussed the evolving nature of terrorist threats, including the exploitation of cyberspace, information and energy resources to advance terrorist objectives.
Both delegations exchanged best practices on preventing and countering violent extremism, combating terrorist financing and addressing radicalisation in all its forms. Particular attention was given to the misuse of cyberspace by terrorist groups and the need to enhance cooperation in other priority areas.
Pakistan and the EU reaffirmed their commitment to regular, institutionalised engagement and agreed to continue identifying practical areas for cooperation to address emerging terrorist threats.
It was agreed that the next round of the bilateral counterterrorism dialogue would be held in Brussels next year on a mutually convenient date.
