Islamabad, 22 October 2025. Mr. Troels Vester, Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Pakistan, met Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik in Islamabad to address the growing nexus between illegal electronic trade, money laundering and organized illegal logging.
The discussion centred on rising transnational environmental crimes that threaten Pakistan’s natural resources and undermine governance and sustainable development. Participants expressed concern that proceeds from illegal electronic trade and associated money laundering are increasingly linked to organised logging and other activities that damage ecosystems and the economy.
Dr. Musadik Malik stressed the urgent need to strengthen Pakistan’s legal and policy frameworks, make regulations more stringent and ensure effective enforcement mechanisms to deter environmental crimes. Mr. Troels Vester, who previously served as Country Manager in Indonesia and as Programme Coordinator in Myanmar, welcomed Pakistan’s commitment and reiterated UNODC’s full support for coordinated action.
Both sides agreed to develop a joint project to improve inter-agency coordination and modernise laws and enforcement mechanisms to curb illegal activities affecting the environment and economy. The planned collaboration will prioritise measures targeting illegal electronic trade, money laundering and organised illegal logging to better protect Pakistan’s natural resources and strengthen institutional responses to environmental crimes.
