PM tells officials to pull socks up on NAP

Sharif forms committee to implement Anti-Terror National Action Plan, directs attorney general to come up with legal, constitutional amendments, directs Finance Ministry, State Bank to pull plug on terror financing means

Govt constitutes federal counter-terrorism force with immediate effect

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Friday constituted a committee to ensure expeditious and effective implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) to counter terrorism in the country. Moreover, the government has also constituted a federal counter-terrorism force with immediate effect.

Addressing a consultative meeting held under his chairmanship, the premier said he would personally oversee the enforcement of the action plan.

Headed by the PM, the committee comprises Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed, Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, SAFRON Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch and PM’s Foreign Affairs and National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz.

The decision was taken by the PM while chairing a consultative meeting to discuss decisions made in the All Parties Conference (APC) on December 24.

The attorney general of Pakistan, federal ministers and legal experts attended the meeting.

“As we assemble here for a follow up of the progress on our counter terrorism policy, let me remind each one of us that we shall not let the memory of Peshawar carnage fade away till we wipe terror out of Pakistan,” the premier remarked.

He urged all present to proceed with their respective national duty after the “historic and unprecedented national consensus reached on December 24 between the political leadership”.

SHARIF’S COUNTER TERRORISM DIRCETIVES:

Expressing unwavering resolve to weed out the scourge of terrorism, Sharif said, “To me zero tolerance is zero tolerance. Violence in any form against my people equals terror and our polity and army is very clear on it. We shall come down heavy on any perpetrators of violence and terrorism.”

He said that Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists hiding in tribal areas as well as in the cities was an important turn in country’s history.

Sharif said he would frequently get updates from the provincial governments on the implementation of the action plan, besides visiting all the provinces.

During the meeting, PM Sharif directed the attorney general to consult the political leadership to come up with “necessary legal and constitutional amendments for implementation of the anti-terror plan”.

He also directed the Finance Ministry and the State Bank of Pakistan to supervise anti-terror financing in Pakistan and freeze all accounts being used for funding terrorists.

“An irreversible phase of the fight against terrorism has started,” said Sharif, adding that an anti-terrorism force would soon be raised in collaboration with the Defence Ministry.

He said the role of police and law enforcement agencies was critical in the elimination of terrorism.

As a part of the National Action Plan, the government has been working to stop printing and publication of hate material promoting sectarianism. Constitutional amendments would also be introduced before the Parliament which would regulate printing of such publications, said Sharif.

The PM also said that stern action would be taken against those involved in the forced marriages of girls from the minority community, adding that such exploitation would not be tolerated.

FEDERAL COUNTER-TERRORISM FORCE:

Following the premier’s directives, the government has constituted a federal counter-terrorism force with immediate effect.

Official sources said that the force would work under the Defence Ministry.

“The force would be deployed across Pakistan and would be responsible solely for countering terrorism.”

The force would also keep contact with civilian, military-intelligence security agencies and their counter-terrorism wings.