PM urges in-sync intelligence strategy

Premier calls for seamless coordination among agencies, provincial and federal governments against terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Shaken by the mind-numbing carnage in Quetta, the government has finally decided to ensure seamless coordination among the security agencies as envisaged in the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism.

The decision was made on Tuesday in an important meeting that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired to review internal security in the backdrop of Monday’s suicide bombing at Quetta’s Civil Hospital.



“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called for seamless coordination among the law enforcement agencies and the provincial and the federal governments to achieve optimum results against extremism and terrorism,” said a statement issued by his office after the meeting.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Janjua, Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, Secretary Fawad Hassan, Military Secretary Brigadier Ajmal and Political Secretary Mohiyuddin Wani attended the meeting.

According to the statement, the meeting discussed at length the internal security situation and different aspects of NAP in the wake of the Quetta blast.

Nisar and Janjua briefed the prime minister on how terrorist groups were attacking soft targets.  The meeting observed that after facing defeat in Operation Zarb-e-Azb in tribal regions, terrorists have now shifted their focus from state institutions, merely out of desperation.

“Terrorists believe they can sow seeds of disharmony and disunity in the nation. [But] the nation is united and supports the government to stay on the course of completely eliminating terrorists from Pakistani society,” Nawaz said.

The National Action Plan has been as counter-productive as Pakistan’s blasphemy law

According to sources, the meeting decided that the funding constraints that have hampered implementation on the NAP’s parts that fall under the civilian purview would be resolved.

Reportedly, the premier directed the participants to follow a workable mechanism for communication between civilian and military intelligence agencies and federal and provincial security and law enforcement agencies from the platform of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta). A source said Nawaz took a briefing from Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the funding issue and directed him to ensure uninterrupted provision of funds to Nacta to empower it in the counterterrorism drive.

“There has been remarkable progress in counterterrorism operations under the NAP involving military-led security institutions. The problem lies with the civilian side and funding is the real issue,” the official added. “A detailed strategy to address related issues will be mapped out in another meeting on Wednesday (today).”

The meeting will review progress on the NAP implementation and related aspects, sources in the PM House said. Senior security officials and government functionaries are scheduled to show up at the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2016.