ISLAMABAD – The federal cabinet would, in principle, give approval for the promulgation of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Ordinance 2011 in what appears to be farewell meeting scheduled on Wednesday. The decision was earlier taken in a high-level meeting on ‘national security’ presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in May last year.
The government took around 10 months to develop consensus among political and religious leadership for developing unanimity of action against the terrorists and a future action plan. Before finalising the ordinance, all stakeholders including the provinces, Azad Kashmir prime minister, representatives from Gilgit Baltistan and the heads of all the intelligence agencies of the country were taken into confidence. Besides improving counter-terrorism policy of the government, the NACTA would serve as a focal point to unify and coordinate the counter-terrorism efforts at the national level in consultation with all the stakeholders.
It would formulate a comprehensive strategy, monitor its implementation and prepare national threat assessment (NTA) reports on terrorism. The authority would also hold focus group discussion with religious scholars regarding the root causes of religious militancy and terrorism in the country.
