Meeting of Apex Committee on National Action Plan held in Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the government has zero tolerance for terrorists as he called for swift persecution “to set an example out of terrorist elements.”
Chairing a meeting of the apex committee on the National Action Plan (NAP) in Islamabad on Monday, the prime minister emphasised that a multi-pronged approach and vigorous implementation of NAP were required to thwart the threat of terrorism.
During the NAP meeting, the prime minister stressed the need for proactive measures to tackle such incidents in future. He noted that the elements trying to destabilise the country would never succeed, as the entire nation was united to defeat the menace of terrorism.
Secretary Interior Division presented a detailed briefing on the implementation status of NAP including measures taken to choke terror financing, countering violent extremism, investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases, intolerance towards militancy, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, regulation and registration of seminaries, the merger of formerly FATA areas, reforms in the criminal justice system, eliminating sectarian terrorism, curbing smuggling, narco-traffic and human trafficking, the reconciliation process in Balochistan and issues related to refugees.
The meeting was attended by Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, chief ministers of all the provinces, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf, federal ministers Fawad Chaudhry, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Asad Umar, chief secretaries, inspectors general of the police, and senior civil and military officers.
The committee strongly condemned the last week’s Peshawar attack and offered condolences for the martyrs.
In the deadly gun and bomb attack, 63 worshippers lost their lives and 194 others sustained injuries inside the Koocha Risaldar mosque during the Friday prayers in Peshawar’s old city neighbourhood.
Measures discussed to prevent terror attacks
- The committee stressed the need to strengthen the role of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to coordinate measures essential for countering terrorism.
- Capacity building of Counter-Terrorism Departments (CTDs).
- Provinces need to allocate more resources for conducting effective investigations by adopting scientific techniques and setting up modern forensic labs.
- Need to accord a conclusive end to terrorism cases in courts of law.