ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif finalised on Saturday the constitution of an umbrella committee and 15 sub-working groups related to the implementation of the National Action Plan and has set a time-frame for all panels to submit their recommendations on eliminating terrorism in Pakistan.
The PM's office issued a notification containing the composition of the committees and a time-frame for submission of recommendations.
The main committee tasked with the implementation of National Action Plan on counter-terrorism will be headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and will comprise Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Safron Abdul Qadir Baloch, Governor Sardar Mehtab, Advisor to PM on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz and Special Assistant to PM on Parliamentary Affairs Barrister Zafarullah Khan.
The 15 sub-working group, focusing on various anti-terror strategies, are as follows:
Armed militias
Further, the premier has also formed a sub-committee, to be headed by the interior minister, and assigned to propose an action plan within three days on the elimination of armed militias.
The committee comprises of DG Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Rizwan Akhtar, DG Intelligence Bureau (IB) Aftab Sultan, DG Military Operations (MO) Major General Aamer Riaz, all provincial home secretaries, including those of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Nacta national coordinator and the interior secretary.
Hate speech, extremist material
Another sub-committee, also headed by the interior minister, has been tasked with furnishing recommendations within three days on the subject of countering hate speech and extremist material.
The panel consists of the ministers of religious affairs, planning and information, DG ISI, DG IB, MD Pakistan Television, all provincial home secretaries and Auqaf departments, Nacta's national coordinator and the interior secretary.
Finances of terrorist organisations
Further, the premier has also formed a sub-committee under the finance minister, tasked to submit recommendations on choking finances for terrorists and terrorist organisations. Governor of the State Bank Ashraf Mehmood Wathra, DG ISI, interior secretary, FBR Chairman Tariq Bajwa, DG FIA Akbar Hoti and the finance secretary will be part of the committee.
Re-emergence of banned organisations
The interior minister will also head another sub-body to recommend measures against the re-emergence of proscribed organisations. The committee also comprises of DG ISI, DG IB, all home secretaries and the interior secretary.
Counter-terrorism force
Another sub-committee, also headed by the interior minister and comprising ministers of finance and defence, DG MO, secretaries of finance and interior and Nacta's coordinator, has been assigned to recommend steps for establishing and deploying a dedicated Counter- Terrorism Force.
The prime minister has directed that the deployment of the force be completed by May 31, 2015, and has also directed the finance minister to work out the cash flow requirement for raising the force by December 31.
Religious persecution
Another sub-committee was tasked to furnish a report on taking effective steps against religious persecution. Headed by interior minister, the body will consist of the minister and secretary of religious affairs, the interior secretary, all provincial police officers, IGPs of GB, AJK and ICT, all home secretaries and Auqaf departments and NACTA coordinator.
Madrassah regulation
Interior Minister Khan will also head a sub-committee on the registration and regulation of madrassas. The body will hold meetings with various organisations of the Wifaq-ul-Madaris and furnish the report within two weeks. The committee comprises of the minister and secretary of religious affairs, State Minister for Education Balighur Rehman, all home secretaries and Auqaf departments.
Terrorist glorification by media
Another sub-committee, to be headed by the information minister, will put forth recommendations on the banning of any glorification of terrorism and terrorist organisations by print and electronic media. The panel will comprise the interior minister, SAPM Irfan Siddiqui, Zafarullah Khan and the information secretary.
Fata reforms
The prime minister also formed a sub-committee under the K-P governor, which will furnish recommendations within a week on administrative and development reforms in Fata, with an immediate focus on rehabilitation of IDPs. Ministers for finance, planning and Safron, as well as the economic affairs secretary, Corps Commander 11 Corps Peshawar and Fata chief secretary will be part of the committee.
Dismantling terrorist communication networks
The interior minister will also head a sub-committee assigned to recommend steps within three days on how to dismantle the communication networks of terrorist organisations and tangible measures against the use of internet and social media for terrorism.
Karachi operation
Another sub-body, formed under Nisar Ali Khan, will present its recommendations within three days on the subject of taking the ongoing operation in Karachi to its logical conclusion. Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, DG Rangers and other senior officials will be part the body.
Punjab
Another sub-committee, to be headed by the interior minister, has been assigned to recommend measures within three days on zero tolerance for militancy in some parts of Punjab. DG ISI, DG IB, home secretary and provincial police officer are members of the committee.
Sectarian terrorism
The sub-committee tasked with presenting recommendations on subject of dealing firmly with sectarian terrorism within a week will be headed by the interior minister and comprised of DG IB, all provincial police officers, home secretaries and heads of counter terrorism departments, besides the interior secretary and the Nacta coordinator.
Afghan refugees
Interior Minister Nisar Ali Kahn will also head another sub- committee to furnish recommendations within a week on the formulation of a comprehensive policy to deal with the issue of Afghan refugees, banning registration of all unregistered illegal refugees. The K-P governor, Safron minister, NADRA chairman and other senior officials will be part of the body.
Criminal justice reforms
Furthermore, Nisar Ali Khan will also head a sub-committee n the revamping and reforming the criminal justice system to strengthen counter-terrorism departments, including granting of powers to the provincial CIDs to intercept terrorist communications. Besides others, the sub-body also comprised of interior secretary, all provincial secretaries, representatives of the ISI, IB and law secretary. The recommendations will be finalised within a week.
COMMENTS (19)
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Interior minister Nisar Ali Khan is every where and he will not be able to perform his duties efficiently, his performance has been poor up till now and spreading him all over sub committees is tantamount to watering down all the sub committees. This is the man who is responsible for the security of the country and Peshawar massacre happened right under his supervision. There are others who also bear the responsibility mainly the intelligence agencies but God forbid any one ever resign for not doing their job for which they are paid handsomely by the tax payers of this unfortunate nation called Pakistanis. Some how our make is not admitting responsibility and we will try to pass on the blame to others but to admit our selves. At the same time the prime Minister does not have the guts to fire some of these people who failed the nation time after time, we are not holding our breaths for any reforms because we don't see any real reforms. it is all for hood winking the nation. HAVE THEY EVER TALKED SERIOUSLY TO REPEAL THOSE DRACONIANS LAWS LIKE THE HADOOD AND BLASPHEMY LAWS. And what about cleansing the schools syllabus all over Pakistan from hateful phrases about other religions and people and stop glorifying the 1500 hundred old Islamic military commanders and other happenings. It is all political white wash and the people of Pakistan will see it in the near future that for political expediency every thing remain the same. Peshawar massacre will be forgotten like the Hazaras in Quetta and Christians massacres in Peshawar. To me their lives were as important as any other lives which has been taken by these religious freaks. We need a strong leader who could stand up for every Pakistani regardless of their religion or their domicile.
@Malveros: KPK Governor is representative of Federal Gov not Provincial .All Nation is on same page and its a very serious issue but they will never learn .
I am sure the various committees will take a simplistic approach. They will not make illegal entry into Pakistan airspace a no, no. Therefore drones and such will continue. Pakistan to my knowledge is the only well equipped country which pretends illegal entry into its airspace is occurring. Obviously, permission and cooperation has been granted. Thus the mothers and fathers of all the resulting dead children will mourn them for the next 50 years or so, and partisans will continue to flourish. If committees can plan strategy so can the partisans. It should also be kept in mind that ever since George Bush invaded the sub-continent resistance, or in US parlance terrorism, has flourished in leaps and bounds. I do not know how the situation will finish up, but am absolutely certain many, many people will not survive and there will be ongoing tragedies for some time to come.
Please remove Sindh Governor from the committee on Karachi operations otherwise it won't be successful. I know this comment is difficult for ET to publish but lets see the moral courage of ET.
Ch Nisar Ali Khan will head 12 out of the 16 committees. Each committee has been given on average about three days to furnish its recommendations on the future course of action. Suppose Ch Nisar Khan is awake and at work 24 hours a day, each of the committees under him gets in all about 6 hours to deliberate and compile its report. On the other hand, if he takes a brief nap everyday and is at work for 18 hours a day, each committee gets only four and a half hour in total. Extraordinary.
No one from KP and FATA??? are you kidding me? KP governer is just another PMLN Pawn with nothing praiseworthy on his CV/ resume. I'm seeing another failure and disappointment in the near future!
the mother of all terrorism in Pakistan was sectarian(SHIA)killing, that committee's composition is weakest see it above,this speaks the intentions and mind set.
@raja: KPK Governor is present in the committees.
Too many cooks (crooks) spoil the broth.
PM has taken steps in very right direction.Nation sholud rise to occasion for elimination of extremism which is the main cause of terrotism.All stps should be implemented without any bias.
Nobody how powerful might be should not be spared for involvement in any extremist acts.
As Expected politicians will do nothing and just form the "COMMITTEES". They have worked wonders in the past right?
@Jacob: how lazy you are dear, for you quick is: in one and half year
although skeptical, I'd give you a benefit of doubt. please deliver honestly
Seriously... Is Pakistan solution to all the problems - just as simple... Form committee. And now 16! Will we ever learn.
PM finalises 16 committees.No presence of KPK gov.? which is suffering don't play Politics. Untied Against Terrorism
16 committees headed by same old usual suspects and Taliban sympathizers with links to Maulvi Aziz of Lal Masjid. This is insane!
Salute PM Nawaz Sharif. Never have I seen any past government take such swift and comprehensive action.
What's up with the deliberate exclusion of the KP gov't from most of these? Even the ones which are most relevant to the situation there.
They shall never learn.