Government says no to Rs2 billion for counter-terrorism

Rejects opposition’s resolution seeking Rs2b for the body

ISLAMABAD:

The government on Monday surprised the opposition in the upper house of parliament by resisting a resolution seeking additional Rs2 billion for the National Counterterrorism Authority (Nacta), but could not defend its stance during the vote.

Moved by Azam Swati of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Senate passed the resolution saying, “This house recommends that the government should provide an additional amount of Rs2 billion to Nacta to facilitate its operations and fulfil the requirements of national security.”



Though the resolution was passed, it is not binding on the government. And there was some commotion as well when it was put to vote before the house. Thirteen senators voted in favour of and nine against the resolution.

“You’re opposing more money?” Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani inquired of State Minister for Interior Balighur Rehman in a light-hearted manner on the latter’s opposition to the resolution.



“I am surprised [by the government’s opposition],” Swati told Rehman as he tried to explain to the minister that he wanted to help the government through the resolution.



Referring to Rehman’s earlier statement that Rs1.06 billion for Nacta were insufficient, the PTI leader said: “We should all join hands to strengthen institutions.”

Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan Peoples Party took the debate to the next level by putting a question mark over the government’s intention to fight militancy. “This move shows that the government is not interested in fighting militancy.”

He said Nacta had no office building and was housed at the National Police Bureau, adding that against 33 sanctioned posts, it had only five officers, and against its requirement of Rs2 billion, it had been allocated only Rs1 billion.

Under the law, Nacta’s board of governors, headed by the prime minister, must meet at least once a quarter, but they have not met even once during the past year. “And yet the government wants us to believe that it is sincere in fighting militancy.”



Defending the government, Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qayyum of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said that raising questions over the government’s sincerity was nothing but ‘a political gimmick’.

He said he would not have objected to the resolution if it had not mentioned a particular amount for Nacta. “The resolution suggests additional Rs2 billion but does not mention its purpose.”

Qayyum claimed that Nacta was in a much better condition since the PML-N took over it and made it a focal point of the National Action Plan. Slamming the opposition’s remarks, he said: “Fighting militancy is a top priority of the government.”

Meanwhile, Rabbani ruled that the ban imposed on student unions by martial law administrators was in violation of the Constitution. He said the house would convert itself into a committee of the whole to look into the matter.

During a debate sought by Rubina Khalid and Hasil Bizenjo over the subject, the Senate members recalled that military dictators had banned student unions because they had launched a revolt against Gen Ayub Khan. Members from both sides of the aisle supported the revival of student unions.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2016.