On the same page: No rift between govt and military, says Nisar

Says army chief’s visit to US was planned well before PM’s trip.

ISLAMABAD:

Top security czar Chaudhry Nisar has dismissed the possibility of a rift between the civilian and military leadership, claiming the two are working in tandem with each other and are on the same page on all issues.

“There is full understanding with the military on all issues,” said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar while addressing a news conference at Punjab House on Friday. “There may be some differences of opinion on minor issues or one issue, but no earthquake is in the offing.”

The minister’s clarification comes amid news reports questioning the purpose of the army chief’s ongoing visit to the US and a recent statement issued by the military’s media wing, the ISPR, about lack of governance initiatives against terrorism.

Nisar, however, criticised the ongoing debate on the issue, saying some people were used to discussing civil-military relations day and night. “Enemies want to see rifts in [civil-military] relations,” he added.

He said General Raheel Sharif had taken Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif into confidence on his engagements in the US ahead of his Washington visit.



“Gen Raheel is following the premier perspective on all issues during his negotiations with US dignitaries,” he said. “The situation is completely normal now.”

Before leaving for the US, the minister said, the army chief met with the prime minister to discuss important issues. “The summary of Gen Raheel’s US visit was put before PM Nawaz, as it is the standard operating procedure for approval of all foreign visits of services chiefs,” Nisar explained.

He clarified the army chief’s visit was scheduled even before PM Nawaz’s trip to the US last month. “All such visits are scheduled with prior permission and are arranged in the national interest,” he added.

Progress on NAP

On a question about the ISPR statement on the government’s poor performance on the national counterterrorism strategy, the interior minister replied: “One thing came from there and a reply went from here. Now things are better.”

He added he would hold a briefing on the progress of the implementation of the 20-point National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism adopted after the Peshawar school massacre on December 16 last year.

Top military commanders have expressed concerns over the slow pace of implementation on the NAP.

Nisar said the finance ministry released a tranche of Rs1.06 billion to establish the much-awaited Joint Intelligence Directorate within National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta). “I will makeNacta  functional within six months,” he said.

He said the interior ministry is serious about registering all unlicensed guns – an issue lingering on since 1970. He set the deadline of December 31 for verification of all arms licences.

Deportee agreements

Touching upon the recent suspension of deportation accords with European countries, Nisar said the government could not compromise on the dignity of Pakistanis.

He said no deportees should be issued travel document without explicit approval by the interior ministry. Any airline bringing deportees without the ministry’s permission and travel documents would be heavily fined, he warned.

Nisar added that deportation of Pakistanis on the basis of unsubstantiated charges of terrorism amounted to violation of human rights.

He claimed around 63,000 people were involved in transferring money from Pakistan through illegal systems.

About the people barred from fly abroad, the minister said he had removed over 9,000 names from the Exit-Control List, as there was no concrete evidence against them. He added Rs680 million have been set aside to establish passport offices in all districts of the country.

On Musharraf’s treason trial, Nisar said the government would devise a new strategy on the case following the verdict of Islamabad High Court to re-investigate the case.


Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2015.