Remember NACTA too
There is hardly anyone outside the PML-N who is satisfied with the way the government is implementing the National Action Plan (NAP). In July last year, a Supreme Court judge remarked that NAP was devised to deceive the masses and that not a single bit of work was done on the plan despite the passage of six months. While criticising the government’s failure to implement NAP, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution in January this year calling for the formation of a parliamentary panel to oversee the implementation of the plan. A general complaint among the opposition parties is that while the government has adamantly refused to allow Rangers deployment in Punjab, which has given birth to some of the most malicious terrorist groups, or stop the banned networks from operating in the province, it is trying to use NAP against other provinces and political opponents. Further that it has failed to put life in NACTA and take required action against seminaries.
That the Monday meeting on internal security was held avowedly at the instance of the COAS is yet another indicator that the army wants to invite the government’s attention to its shortcomings in the implementation of NAP. In June this year DG ISPR had claimed major gains in military operations against terrorist groups in tribal areas but conceded that the National Action Plan against terrorism was lacking. The general had specifically referred to NAP’s clauses that still required implementation. A high level meeting attended by the COAS later this week is also supposed to take up the issue.
There is a perception that the federal government wants to divert the criticism targeting its performance towards smaller provinces. This is indicated by Ch Nisar’s threat to Sindh government to allow special powers to Rangers all over Sindh or face consequences. It is time the federal government concentrates on implementing NAP in its totality. The government should also realise the dangers of the perception that Punjab enjoys immunity from NAP.