Implementation of NAP needed to end terrorism

Politico-religious circles hinder its progress

PESHAWAR: The first anniversary of Army Public School Peshawar attack was marked across the country where people, irrespective of their political, ideological, racial and lingual differences, paid glowing tributes to the victims. This unanimous mourning in the wake of possibly the worst atrocity committed on this soil united the entire nation against militancy and reaffirmed the country’s stance on eradicating terrorism and extremism.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, along with provincial chief ministers, federal ministers, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairperson Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Shareef attended the function at APS. According to ISPR, around 147 people including 122 students were brutally killed.

In 2014, Nawaz and Raheel joined hands to address the expectations of all those who lost loved ones to terrorism. The government designed the National Action Plan (NAP) to remove harmful internal and external policies, and to get rid of terrorism once and for all.

Broken people, broken promises

However, on December 16, the first anniversary of the APS attack, people expressed their disappointment over the implementation of NAP.



Terrorism is still prevalent in the region; in fact the number of groups involved in acts of violence – directly or indirectly - has reached approximately 60. Slogans like “Islam, jihad and Taliban” and “Attack security forces and government installations” are heard more than ever. On December 15, Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network arranged a sit-in outside Peshawar Press Club where protesters demanded establishment of a new university and construction of a new library after APS attack victims. They also urged the government to implement NAP in its true spirit. When contacted, Taimur Kamal, an active member of the network told The Express Tribune, “Until and unless NAP is implemented, no one could ensure an end to terror.” He said except the establishment of military courts, many steps have yet to be taken for remaining 19 points of NAP to be implemented.

Kamal also denounced the fact that APS victims united the nation, saying, “Do you really think we need such violent acts to unite us?” He said it was time the state restated its existence by evolving a well-planned strategy for averting bloodshed like the one that occurred in APS.

Ostensible obstacles

No one can deny the fact that military, paramilitary and police forces have waged war against terrorists but in the absence of political will, those extending political and financial support to terrorists are still alive. Such involvement, even from certain elements of religious circles was confirmed in at least nine acts of terror, including, APS attack.

Government functionaries, from time to time, make efforts to regulate the functions of mosques, seminaries and other religious institutions, but become helpless before certain politico-religious circles.

At the moment, people not just from terror-affected regions within the country but from various segments of the international community are keeping an eye on the government and hope it plans to avert incidents like the APS attack in the future.

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