Senate seeks briefing on NAP implementation

Chairman Raza Rabbani directs interior ministry to brief upper house regarding the action plan on Dec 16

ISLAMABAD: The Senate of Pakistan has asked the federal government for a briefing on implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism on December 16, the day terrorists attacked Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar last year.

Chairman Raza Rabbani issued the direction to Ministry of Interior on the demand made by Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Rabbani informed that the interior ministry had earlier requested for briefing a house committee, but it should instead brief the house on December 16.



It is, however, not clear if Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, who seldom attends Senate proceedings, would spare time to brief the house about the steps taken by the government and progress made following the APS attack.

Earlier, leader of the opposition made the demand after Senate unanimously passed a resolution moved by PPP Senator Sehar Kamran.

The resolution said: “The Senate of Pakistan re-affirms its solidarity with families of martyrs of Army Public School Peshawar and demands the government to continue its struggle for elimination of terrorism from Pakistan.”

“December 16 is a dark day for Pakistan,” Aitzaz Ahsan said, while referring to fall of Dhaka and then APS attack last year in which 145 people, including 132 students, were killed in a terrorist attack.

Ahsan demanded the government to disclose the measures taken and its achievements in NAP.



The 20-point NAP was approved by the country's political leadership following the December 16 attack. Military courts were later set up after the 21^st constitutional amendment, and end of moratorium on execution of death penalties, among other measures.

PPP’s Senator Farhatulah Babar moved a resolution saying the "house calls upon the government to ensure strict implementation of the law disallowing the resurrection of banned outfits under other names.”

Though the resolution was passed unanimously, according to the rules of business it is not binding on the government. During the proceedings, five resolutions, on different subjects, were passed as government did not oppose them.