NACTA forum: NSA says terrorism needs global response

Stresses on need to portray the country as nation of courageous people brimming with perseverance and resilience

ISLAMABAD: National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua said terrorism required international and global response as it could not be fought individually or state or group of countries.

“Despite losing children, senior leadership and thousands innocent people in war against terrorism, our resilience is intact,” he said while speaking at a session “Dynamics of Internal Security” at International Counter Terrorism Forum (IICTF) organised by National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).

The NACTA is organising the forum to provide an ample opportunity to portray the country as nation of courageous people brimming with perseverance and resilience.



“There is a dire need to work together to purge the menace of terrorism,” Janjua said calling for national unity.

Appreciating NACTA for organising such an even, he said the whole world was suffering from terrorism. “Unfortunately despite being the main victim in the war against terrorism, Pakistan is being blamed for playing double standard,” he said.

NSA reminded that Pakistan remained a frontline-state against terrorism and its people and personnel of security forces rendered matchless sacrifices in this war.

The security adviser recalled how the radical forces gained ground after the exit of Soviet Union from Afghanistan.

He said, unfortunately, USA and its allied forces abandoned Afghanistan after the collapse of former Soviet Union (USSR) resulting in creation of vacuum. Later the vacuum was filled by radical groups, he added.



Janjua said Pakistani leadership formulated National Action Plan (NAP) to tackle the menace of terrorism, adding all the provinces and other stakeholders contributed well and stood like a rock.

He said various operations including Zarb-e-Azb and Raddul Fasad were launched to get required results and now all FATA and others areas had fully been cleared from terrorists.

The anti-terror operations were not limited to K-P and Fata only. In Karachi and to some extent in southern Punjab too, security forces eliminated strongholds on non-state actors.

He said Karachi operation has normalised life in the port city.

Afrasiab Khattak while speaking on the occasion said that Pakistani people and personnel of armed forces made supreme sacrifices and defeated the terrorists.

Defeating terrorism, he said, was a common struggle for all Pakistanis. He said in 1980s, the West had cleared agenda to defeat communism and they radicalise the society.

He said Pakistan had shown strength and perseverance of its people through political leadership who stood united in dealing with menace of terrorism.

He said it was high time to look forward to cooperation for big and small powers. He said Chinese were very serious about peace and their good well should be used.

He said political leadership supported NACTA in all its endeavours to make Pakistan a country free from extremism and violence.

It is pertinent to mention here that basic objective of the Forum is to highlight Pakistan’s endeavours and achievements in war against terror.

The Forum engaged diplomats, governmental officials, parliamentarians, politicians, United Nation Agencies, international organisations, aid agencies, media, civil society and world community at large.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2018.