SC judge says NAP ‘a big joke devised to deceive masses’

• Justice Khawaja slams govt, says ‘not a single bit of work’ done on the plan since its inception
• Court orders govt to furnish complete details about NGOs involved in illegal activities till July 22

Terming the National Action Plan (NAP) a “big joke”, a Supreme Court judge on Friday once again lambasted the government over its inaction over the issue during the past six months.

SC Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja remarked during a hearing that NAP was devised to deceive the masses, adding that not a single bit of work was done on the plan despite the passage of six months since its inception.

The NAP was devised to eliminate terrorism from the country in the aftermath of the Peshawar tragedy that had claimed around 150 innocent lives, most of whom were children.

Justice Khawaja also expressed his displeasure over the allocation of Rs 160 million for the National Counter Terrorism Authority Pakistan (NSCTA). He also expressed concern on the foreign funding of NGOs.

He asked the government to declare NAP as paperwork only, if it cannot implement the plan.

The matter relating to NGOs’ activities had cropped up during the June 23 hearing of a bail application moved by Haroonur Rashid, who was booked for alleged fraud in a business transaction. During the case, it had emerged that the parties involved had invested in a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)-based NGO ‘Baraan’, which was registered in Peshawar but had spread its activities to Tank, Bannu and DI Khan.

Justice Azmat Saeed, who is also a part of the three-member bench, said that there is a consensus among all provincial governments to remain incompetent and inefficient.

Under NACTA, terrorist funding had to be disrupted but nothing has been done in this regard, so far, he remarked.

Third member of the bench, Justice Maqbool Baqir said that only Rs 160 million has been allocated for NSCTA, which is worthless. He also asked Attorney General (AG) Salman Aslam Butt about the expenditure of Prime Minister House and a raise made recently in this regard.

The judge also questioned if the provincial governments have issued show-cause notices to any NGO for violation of rules and regulations.

AG told the court that forensic audit would be held for suspicious NGOs. He further said that the government has been evolving a mechanism for proper monitoring of NGOs.

The three-judge bench, headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, asked the federal and provincial governments to furnish complete details about NGOs involved in illegal activities and adjourned the next hearing of the case until July 22.