Provinces’ napping on NAP irks PM

• Irked by provinces’ failure to act against terrorists, Sharif summons CMs next week for effective implementation of national action plan
• PM assures funding to provinces to implement decisions taken by civil and military leaderships

Expressing dissatisfaction over the feedback received from provincial governments over the implementation on National Action Plan (NAP), Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday directed the provincial chief ministers to attend a review meeting scheduled to be held next week.

The prime minister issued the directions while chairing a review meeting on NAP held at Prime Minister’s House.

“During the meeting, the premier was briefed over the implementation status by provinces over NAP. The PM expressed his displeasure over what he called the lack of support from provinces and decided to summon the four CMs for a meeting next week to push forward counter-terrorism plan,” an official told Pakistan Today.

The source said that the prime minister was informed that the response by KP, Sindh and Balochistan governments were unsatisfactory and whatever actions they had reported were ineffective.

“When the meeting was briefed that the provinces had expressed their helplessness on implementation due to lack of funds, the premier said the government would ‎provide adequate funds to help implement measures agreed by the political and military leadership but said that the provincial government would be asked not to use these funds for any other head,” the source quoted the PM as saying.

TERRORISM AND MEASURES TAKEN:

The meeting was also briefed about the steps taken by the provincial governments over NAP recommendations.

It was informed that the FIRs have been registered against 341 persons involved in hate speech, out of which 251 have been formally arrested while 41 shops disseminating hate material have been closed.

“Action has been taken against nearly 1,100 people on the misuse of loudspeakers. Seminaries are also being closely monitored so that spread of terrorist ideology can be checked, while 95 proscribed organisations have been identified in Punjab which are still engaged in spreading terrorism and extremism,” an official handout said.

During the meeting, the prime minister expressed government’s resolve in eradicating terrorism and extremism from the country and directed all the provincial governments to take proactive measures for ensuring speedy and effective implementation of the action plan.

“The prime minister also expressed dissatisfaction over the intelligence reports that Punjab government was also unable to act against 92 banned outfits which were supporting terrorists. It was also disclosed during the meeting that Punjab was a hotbed for terrorists and the workers of a sectarian outfit were involved in arranging funeral of those members of the banned outfits which were recently hanged by the government,” the source said, adding that during the previous meeting, the number of banned outfits had been put at 72 which had increased to 92 now.

In order to put an end to the funding of the seminaries involved in sectarian violence or terrorism, the prime minister asked the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure that funding to proscribed organisations is stopped.

The premier also directed the Ministry of Information Technology to take steps for blocking websites and social media platforms being used by terrorist organisations.‎

Moreover, the prime minister also warned those media outfits still backing the terrorists, stating that ‎the government would take strict action against those found in glorification of terrorism and spreading hatred in any manner.

KEEPING NACTA ALIVE:

Reassuring the provision of funds to National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA), the premier said that a state-of-the-art rapid response force would be formed to meet the challenges posed by terrorism and extremism. “This properly equipped force would be trained on modern lines and given better pay package,” he maintained.

In his briefing, Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan informed the prime minister that 180 miscreants have been picked up so far from various parts of Islamabad while 48 of them have been formally arrested. Similarly, in Punjab, 14,000 suspects have been picked up, out of whom 780 have been formally arrested and are under investigation, he said.

Other participants of the meeting included Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Special Advisor to PM Barrister Zafarullah, Political Secretary to PM Dr Asif Kirmani, interior secretary and attorney general along with other senior officials.