Pakistan to take leaf out of UK’s anti-terror book

Nacta to be made more productive, result-oriented


Zahid Gishkori November 13, 2015
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to take a leaf out of the United Kingdom’s anti-terror book to improve the capabilities of its top counterterrorism body fighting extremism and radicalism.

The development emerges months after the British government stepped up fresh investment in the UK’s counterterrorism capabilities, offering Pakistan assistance in capacity building of the National Counterterrorism Authority (Nacta).

Pakistan's anti-terrorism strategy a role model for others: PAF chief

As a part of employing anti-terrorism strategies of other countries, Pakistan and the UK agreed on Thursday to enhance cooperation to combat terrorism and counter violent extremism and radicalism.

“We shall take a leaf from the UK’s counterterrorism capabilities. It would make Nacta a more productive and result-oriented institution,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was quoted as saying in an official statement, which was issued after his meeting with Clovis Meath Baker, UK prime minister’s counterterrorism capability envoy to Pakistan.

Pak-UK bilateral relations, and mutual cooperation in security and the fight against terrorism were discussed during the meeting, read the statement.

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“Both countries agreed to work out a key policy to decrease the rising tendency of extremism, soft intervention and linkage with think tanks,” said a Nacta official. The visiting envoy asked Pakistan to identify areas where both countries could work for de-radicalisation, added the official.

Human trafficking

The interior minister has ordered clearing two bills – ‘Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children 2013’ and ‘Prevent and Combat the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air 2013’ – pending with the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights.

An annual report issued by the US State Department divides nations into tiers based on their compliance with standards outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). Pakistan is currently on tier 2 watchlist, which includes countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance.

We hope they deliver: India on Pakistan's anti-terror promise to US

“Who will be responsible if Pakistan slips to tier 3?” asked Nisar. Tier 3 includes countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.

Extradition treaty

The interior minister met with his Tajikistani counterpart Rakhimzoda Ramazon and discussed the agreement on extradition between the two countries.

“It is an important milestone towards our shared objective of forging a robust security partnership and strengthening our law enforcement agencies,” said Nisar.

Pakistan Air Force denies China helped military acquire armed drones

Both the ministers agreed to share a list of priorities for furthering mutual cooperation in security to effectively fight terrorism and human smuggling, besides learning from each other’s experiences.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2015.

COMMENTS (3)

Pakistan | 8 years ago | Reply Why are telling us now? This is all bull.
S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply When faced with a problem, it is definitely a healthy attitude to learn from other countries which have faced same or similar problems. This learning process becomes even more educative when the country we are learning from is one which has a system of properly analyzing the problems and then adopting a logical approach towards their solution. However, the very basic and most essential thing towards finding solution to aproblem is a strong will to tackle the problem and to allocate necessary resources towards its solution . And if the will is simply not there, or even if it is there, it is not taken seriously enough, and adequate resources are not allocated, then taking a leaf out of UK’s anti-terror book, or even taking the whole book would not provide much help. And unfortunately, our civilian government appears to lack the will to tackle anti-terror fight, and being short on courage make the matter much worse. Now, if nearly a year after the formulation of National Action Plan, National Counter-terrorism Authority (NACTA) has not bee allocated adequate resources, and is unable even to employ and pay officials in senior positions, just how taking a leaf out of the UK’s anti-terror book could help? Unfortunately for Pakistan, the all-important position of Federal Interior Minister has been given to a person like Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who is strong on words, but weak on delivery and lacks the capacity to set his priorities right. So, how could results be any different?. Karachi
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