National CTD under NACTA given the nod

ISLAMABAD:

The Central Apex Committee formed to deal with the growing threat of militancy in the country has decided to set up a National Counter-Terrorism Department, which would operate under the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta), it emerged on Sunday.

Sources privy to the consultations that took place during the apex committee meeting, which was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by senior civil and military leadership, has given the nod to set up the National CTD believing that a “synchronised response” was needed to counter the growing militancy.

A key cabinet minister, while confirming the development said Nacta would add the CTD to its fold.

The minister, requesting anonymity, said the National CTD would be set up to enhance coordination and give a collective response to eliminate terrorists.

The minister added that the decision was taken in line with the National Security Committee’s (NSC) direction that Nacta would work in collaboration with the provincial-level counter-terrorism departments (CTDs).

At a time when militancy is raging out of control, the minister explained that the National CTD would lessen the burden on the provincial police, allowing them to focus on their primary task of crime prevention.

The National CTD would specifically focus on countering terrorism through a centralised response.

The minister did not elaborate on how much time the legal and constitutional changes would take before the National CTD finally became a reality.

The provincial CTDs were established in the last couple of decades while Nacta was set up at the federal level in 2008.

Later in 2013, it was granted administrative and financial autonomy through Nacta Act, 2013.

The body has been tasked with gathering information and disseminating as well as coordinating it among the relevant stakeholders to formulate threat assessments.

It has also been tasked to prepare comprehensive national strategies to counter terrorism and extremism as well as develop action plans.

In an attempt to strengthen the internal security and effectively counter the security challenges, the NSC decided in October last year to form an apex committee at the central level to deal with the growing incidents of unrest in Swat and other parts of the country while further deciding to fully revive Nacta.

The top-level huddle also decided to revitalise the anti-terrorism system at the federal and provincial levels.

It further gave the nod to equip the anti-terrorism system with modern technology.

Later in December last year, a highly critical report prepared by security agencies painted a bleak picture of the anti-terrorism mechanism in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The report read that the province’s CTD lacked the capacity to counter terrorism.

The report, presented to PM Shehbaz during the national security review meeting, warned that because of an acute shortage of staff and resources, the K-P CTD would not be able to prevent a terrorist attack in the province.

On January 30 this year, at least 84 people embraced martyrdom when a suicide bomber detonated himself during noon prayers inside a mosque at the Peshawar police headquarters, strengthening the notion in the report that the K-P CTD did not have the capacity to fight terrorism as it itself had become the epicentre of problems.

Later on February 11, PM Shehbaz  stressed on the need for full implementation of the decisions of the apex committee, saying that safety and security of the people was the foremost responsibility of the government.

After being briefed on the overall security situation and on the action taken against the terrorists, the prime minister directed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to visit the four provinces with a view to improve coordination between the Centre and the provinces.

Apart from reviewing the issues related to security in Islamabad; Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B); Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK); foreigners and key projects, the premier directed that effective measures should be taken to improve the efficiency of all the provincial CTDs.

Subsequently, after the interior minister visited them, the Central Apex Committee decided on February 25 that the federal government would extend its full cooperation to the provinces to ensure peace.

It said the elimination of terrorism, economic revival of the country and political stability were all interlinked.

Pakistan has been hit by a fresh wave of terrorism, mostly in K-P, but also in Balochistan.

The Punjab city of Mianwali, which borders K-P, has also been affected.

Last month, two policemen and a Rangers trooper were among four people who embraced martyrdom, while 16 others suffered injuries, when terrorists, wearing suicide vests and carrying automatic weapons and grenades stormed the Karachi Police Office (KPO).

Reportedly, January 2023 was the deadliest month since 2018, in which 134 people lost their lives -- a 139% spike -- and 254 received injuries in at least 44 militant attacks across the country.