Implementation of NAP: Apex committee’s extended role draws criticism

Opposition leader in National Assembly warns against formation of parallel governments

ISLAMABAD:

As Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired another meeting on Monday to review implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) to combat terrorism, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah expressed concern over the ‘extended role’ of apex committees, terming them parallel governments.

Speaking to newsmen in his chamber in the parliament house, Shah said the role of the apex committee was not to govern but to monitor, alluding to recent meetings of the Sindh’s apex committee in Karachi.

Shah warned that it would be dangerous to “run the affairs of provinces through apex committees”.



The apex committees – headed by chief ministers of the provinces and comprising army officials and political leadership – are formed in all the provinces for the implementation of the NAP.

Besides monitoring, the committees are also supposed to refer cases of terror suspects to the federal government after scrutinising the same for trial in military courts.

Shah accused the government of making “mistakes after mistakes” and creating problems itself. “The government should avoid spoiling the current system and not create a situation that would be dangerous for the country,” he advised.

Shah also recalled how his Pakistan Peoples Party had backed the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) during last year’s protests with the sole purpose of saving parliament. “We did not protect any individual or government but parliament itself.”

Yet a member of the ruling party later showed deep ingratitude for the support, telling him not to expect the PML-N to return the favour anytime soon.

Meanwhile, the prime minister in a meeting at the PM House on Monday appreciated the Punjab government for taking the lead in implementing the plan for targeting terrorism and extremism in the country.

He asked other provinces to speed up implementation of ‘this important initiative’, which has the backing of the entire political spectrum of the country.

“Terrorists are the enemies of stability and harmony and every possible step will be taken to ensure that they are eliminated,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2015.