National Action Plan, better known by its acronym NAP, was formulated unanimously in January 2015 in the wake of terrorist attack on the Army Public School Peshawar in December 2014. It is good to note that its 20 points are being implemented by the Federal and Provincial Governments dedicatedly and in all sincerity as it is a struggle for our survival after quite successfully eliminating extremists and militants from the sacred soil of our beloved motherland Pakistan.
Accordingly, the Punjab Government has taken a number of steps and measures towards implementation of the NAP to the extent of the points which fall within purview of the responsibility of a provincial government. In doing so, the Provincial Government is not only fully shouldering its onerous responsibility towards NAP but also has made significant achievements in implementation of some points of the NAP ahead of others in all fairness. This is not to undermine as to what the other provinces are doing besides the federal government but only to mention here as that all that is required under the NAP is being done quite sincerely and with commitment in the country’s biggest province. These steps and measures taken and being implemented by the law enforcement agencies, the police force and other official quarters concerned with full support and cooperation of the people are yielding quite encouraging results and the militants and extremists who have been indulging in terrorist activities are being eliminated quite speedily indeed.
Among several steps and measures taken by the Punjab Government as per its obligation to implement 20 points of the NAP, the provincial government has not only earned singular distinction of establishing the Counter Terrorism Force but also created Counter Terrorism Department as well, both for the first time in the history of Pakistan.
Both the newly established and created Counter Terrorism Force and Counter Terrorism Department are doing well for elimination of terrorism ion all its manifestations including sectarianism and militancy and thus making a positive contribution towards implementation of 20 points of the National Action Plan at the provincial level. Surely, this will go a long way in successful implementation of the NAP at the national level on the whole. All those engaged in this battle of survival against terrorism, extremism and militancy and offering all sacrifices in the process surely deserve to be appreciated by one and all.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif are not only personally supervising implementation of the NAP at the national and provincial levels respectively but also ensuring provision of all resources and support required for ultimate victory in this our struggle for the survival.
Ehsanul Haq Qazi
Lahore
