Editorial

NAP progress

A renewed focus on National Action Plan and what it has achieved so far

Editorial March 13, 2017

A renewed focus on National Action Plan and what it has achieved so far. PHOTO: ONLINE

For a National Action Plan written after scores of schoolchildren were massacred in Peshawar in 2014, it is only fitting for the government to wake up from their slumber and actually check its progress after another similar tragedy has struck. More than 80 people had to die at the peaceful shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar before our leaders could get to work; a job they are paid for. This is Pakistan’s classic firefighting at its best.

Within hours of the attack in Sehwan, a new operation was launched, hundreds of suspects were arrested and border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was closed indefinitely. Now, there’s a renewed focus on National Action Plan and what it has achieved so far. The 20-point agenda, formed with the consensus of all political parties, leaves so much to be desired even though two years have passed since it was first drafted.

A progress report in this regard was presented in the Senate by Minister of State for Interior Balighur Rehman; it talks about the actions taken by the federal and provincial governments as well as by different ministries. According to the numbers given in the report, 1,865 terrorists have been killed and 2,465 people have been arrested for hate speech; it also claims that 64 proscribed organisations have been identified and 2,311 madrassas have been closed in Sindh.

While the numbers may appear impressive, they cannot be used as a sign of progress until a thorough comparison is done with other relevant variables such as total crime rate, terror attacks and incidents of hate speech. The data must also be studied against the 20 points of NAP and how it has helped achieve the targets laid down in the agenda.

The evaluation of NAP progress must be an ongoing exercise involving stakeholders from all branches of the government, the military and the civil society; it must be a constant process of identifying problems and fixing them if true change is to be achieved.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2017.

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COMMENTS (2)

ishrat salim | 7 years ago | Reply Unless sincerity of purpose is shown with result, NAP will continue to be NAPPING. After 2 years of military court, no tangible steps have been taken to reform criminal justice system & today again extension of military court is demanded, with out any time frame to reform the present criminal justice system With this kind of action, how one can expect NAP implementation. How long the govt & all the stakeholders going to fool the public ? It was expected that the induction of Gen Janjua as head of NAP implementation cell, result will be forthcoming but unfortunately, no tangible result in sight, what is the use then ? why is Gen Janjua wasting his time, credibility & tax payers money ?

Feroz | 7 years ago | Reply The gulf between claims and reality can be wide therefore information provided has to substantiated with proof. Lets take this example -- "According to the numbers given in the report, 1,865 terrorists have been killed and 2,465 people have been arrested for hate speech; it also claims that 64 proscribed organisations have been identified and 2,311 madrassas have been closed in Sindh." From where have these statistics been derived is the first question. Second question is about the names, identity and addresses of these terrorists -- since claim is they were terrorists public would also like to know who were these guys. Since 2311 madrassas in Sindh have been closed, their names and addresses should be easily available. Citizen has "Right to Information", more so in a battle he is supposed to make many sacrifices for.

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