Committee will be given days, not weeks to gear up in war against militants: Nawaz

PM says he will personally supervise newly formed committee to ensure 'swift' implementation of National Action Plan


Abdul Manan December 26, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday constituted a committee for the implementation of the National Action Plan.

The premier during a meeting on the National Action Plan said, "I will personally supervise the implementation of the National Action Plan, and will make sure that it is swift and effective."

“Zarb-e-Azb in tribal areas and Zarb-e-Azb against terrorist in our cities and streets is a defining moment in our history,” the prime minister said.

“An irreversible process of elimination of militants has started,” the premier added.

Nawaz went on to add that he would go to each and every province to meet their respective governments, law enforcement and intelligence agencies to supervise this implementation plan.

“We now have a road map that will be easily guided by the historic national consensus that was reached on December 24,” the prime minister further said. “Now that we have reached a historic national consensus, let's proceed with our national duty,” the premier said.

Nawaz told those present at the meeting that they were there to "weed out terror” from the country. “To me, zero tolerance is zero tolerance. Violence in any form against my people equals to terror, and our polity and our army are very clear on this. We shall come down heavy on it [terrorism],” he said.

“We shall not let the memory of the Peshawar carnage fade away till we wipe out terror from Pakistan, for if we don't do that, there is no Pakistan,” the prime minister said.

“Laws will be made stringent to stop the printing and publication of hate material promoting sectarianism,” Nawaz said.

Additionally, during the meeting, the premier said, “I task the Ministry of Finance and the State Bank of Pakistan to supervise the anti-terror financing operations.”

He also announced that that a federal counter-terrorism force will be deployed immediately with the help of the Ministry of Defence.
On a separate note, Nawaz said, “We will make forced marriages of young minority girls as a punishable offense. This is religious persecution which is unacceptable.”

Further, Nawaz said he would give his team “days, not weeks to gear up in this war against militants.”

The meeting, which has now come to an end, agreed that a legislation to stop the glorification of terrorists on all forms of media may be prepared immediately, according to official sources.

Moreover, the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been tasked to present a plan on the registration of illegal Afghans in Pakistan. And timelines have been provided to all those concerned.

Other members of the committee will include Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Advisor to the PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, as well as other selected members.

Further, Attorney General of Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt was directed by the prime minister to immediately consult members of leading parties for the finalisation of constitutional amendments.

The meeting for the implementation of the National Action Plan was still underway at the PM House under the chairmanship of the premier till the filing of this report.

Coordination and implementation mechanisms of the plan, along with timeliness, will be discussed during the meeting.

The 20-point National Action Plan that envisages the establishment of special courts for the speedy trial of terror suspects and a crackdown on jihadi and sectarian outfits was announced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a televised address to the nation late Wednesday night following a daylong meeting of the heads of all parliamentary parties at the Prime Minister House.

The National Action Plan Committee was formed after the tragic attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar in which 150 people were killed, including over 130 children.

COMMENTS (14)

Ali S | 9 years ago | Reply

@sgrr:

Well apparently that logic doesn't apply to Imran Khan. I'm no fan of Nawaz, but give him credit for either having the resolve to strike this menace once and for all or having the humility to let a wiser, more credible man (the 'fauji' Sharif) direct him.

Adnan Siddiqi | 9 years ago | Reply

Way to Prime Minister! We are with ya.

@Asad@NYC,

Sour grapes.

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