NAP ‘fully enforced’ in Punjab

Interior ministry tells LHC new anti-terrorism strategy being followed

LAHORE: National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism has been enforced in Punjab and security of all important installations and personalities has been tightened, the Federal Interior Ministry has told the Lahore High Court.

According to the ministry, deployment of paramilitary soldiers across the province for two months was in continuation of the new anti-terrorism strategy that was devised after the Peshawar school massacre in December 2014.

The ministry has submitted its report in response to a petition filed by Civil Society Network’s president Abdullah Malik, questioning flaws in the implementation of NAP.

Justice Aminuddin Khan has taken the report on record and directed the petitioner’s counsel to come up with his arguments by April 19.

In his petition, Abdullah claims the PML-N-led Punjab government did not formulate any effective mechanism against terrorism and the federal and provincial governments had failed to provide a safe environment to citizens.

Citing the example of Karachi, he said a visible shift had been observed and terror attacks, if not eradicated, had declined considerably after NAP was formulated in consultations with the military establishment and law enforcement agencies.

The petitioner alleged the ruling PML-N was reluctant to execute NAP in letter and spirit as it did not want to lose its vote bank, which, he claimed, was directly or indirectly connected with a Rangers-led operation in Punjab.

Abdullah requested the court to order the government to enforce all points of NAP in Punjab as law enforcement agencies, including police, have failed to protect the lives of citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2017.