Concerns over NAP implementation

Army chief has rightly pointed out that military gains will be for naught unless the civil side of compact is honoured

If a note of irritation and frustration is evident in the latest comments emanating from the military regarding the progress — or lack of it — in the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP), then it is hardly surprising. Army Chief General Raheel Sharif hit a number of nails on the head when he gave vent — for the second time — to his lack of satisfaction at the civil implementation of key parts of NAP.

It is perhaps worth mentioning at this juncture that the military has done much of what was asked of it under NAP. Blood has been spilt, lives lost, territory regained in hard fighting.

The army chief rightly pointed out as have innumerable commentators and analysts in the last year that the military gains will be for naught unless the civil side of the compact is honoured.

The comments come after civilian and military leaders met for a two-day discussion on the implementation of NAP. The government response has been to form a ‘task force’ to investigate the matter. It is a management axiom that if you want to avoid doing something, then form a working party, which is precisely what the government has done.

A failure to resolve the issue of the remit of the Rangers means that swathes of the country are effectively off-limits, a consequence being the creation wittingly or otherwise of safe havens for those bent on troubling the state.

There is a need to root out all forms of extremism and all types of terror groups from our soil if the gains of Operation-e-Azb are to be consolidated.

Of equal concern is the determined government resistance to the activation of the National Counterterrorism Authority that ought to be the lead agency in the creation of a national counterterror narrative. The creation of an ill-defined ‘task force’ serves nobody well other than those protecting vote banks and assorted vested interests.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2016.

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