Roadblocks in NACTA’s way

Disconnect amongst actors involved in implementation

There has been some progress in terms of inter-agency collaboration and we have also witnessed tougher posture towards radical elements

The National Action Plan completely failed to implement its point number four regarding the strengthening and activation of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).

NACTA, which had to play an important role in carrying out operations against the militants effectively, failed to move beyond papers.

It seems NACTA has become a football being tossed between the prime minister, military establishment and the interior minister. NACTA has been hibernating since its formation and it remains a victim of turf wars between intelligence agencies.

The legal status of NACTA had been the topic of intense debate since its inception because according to federal government’s rules of business it is the responsibility of the ministry of interior, which keeps a check on paramilitary forces. NACTA was supposed to coordinate between various ministries and intelligence agencies.

We are clueless as to whether it is an executive body which falls under the prime minister or an autonomous authority with extraordinary summoning powers.

Reportedly, a large number terrorists is captured in areas outside Fata however no concrete evidence has been put on record and well known terrorist assets are still at large and many groups continue to allegedly enjoy a soft corner in the echelons of power and policy.

Outlawed groups and a myriad of terrorist outfits have been on the national scene for too long not to be in liaison with mainstream political parties, and it is very likely that such links are still at play. Only consistent state policy can disrupt and eliminate covert threats of violence and terror.

Implementation of NAP in its true spirit will help tremendously in improving the security environment and public safety. Weak implementation may prove counterproductive at this stage.

There has been some progress in terms of inter-agency collaboration and we have also witnessed tougher posture towards radical elements.

In Sindh and KP especially collaboration between Intelligence Bureau of Pakistan and the provincial police has been great. KP police, in particular, has been fighting militancy bravely and with reasonable success. While the armed forces are carrying our important and difficult operations successfully in areas bordering Afghanistan, police has been fighting the battle bravely in KP and generally all over Pakistan. This has of course come at a huge cost as a large number of armed forces personnel and police officers have laid down their lives to protect the peace of the motherland. It is important that not just the government but the society also honour the martyrs and their families.

In Punjab, there has been some serious crackdown against sectarian terrorists and important targets have been achieved through CTD Punjab.

Rangers and police collaboration in Karachi has produced significant value for the citizens.

Indeed, NAP has not been implemented the way it should have been. There is disconnect amongst actors involved in the implementation process. Now the question is who is going to reduce that disconnect? It is important that all the actors involved in the process realise their role and responsibility.

I think there is already an existing, though not ideal, arrangement amongst various law enforcement agencies and the APEX committees have also improved that support and policy review mechanism. A lot needs to be done before we can safely say that the support level has been optimised. It is important to strengthen the engagement efforts and that can only be done through effective oversight and better understanding of each other’s standpoint.

It is also important to understand each other’s perspective. Criticism or reservations or disappointments are part and parcel of such activity, which involves complex decision-making processes in the midst of multiple viewpoints.

As for banned outfits, it is important that NAP is followed in letter and spirit. The law must take its course. 

All political parties need to be respected for their patriotism and commitment to public safety unless the charges against them are proved in due process. It is the job of the law enforcement departments and intelligence agencies to keep a watch on any suspicious or anti-people activity. Innocent until proven guilty is a basic principle of justice, which needs to be followed.

NACTA and JID need support from the political executive, which is lacking. The turf issue needs to be resolved at the earliest otherwise it would bring irremediable harm to our counter terrorism efforts

Since we are in a situation which can’t be called normal we will have to be alert throughout Pakistan and that includes whole of Punjab. A terrorist activity can be planned anywhere and for that you don’t need control of vast pieces of land. As for no go areas, it is important to be sure through inter-agency collaboration that there are no areas that are being neglected in terms of the enforcement of the writ of the state.

It is essential to act responsibly. Statements need to be made keeping in view the ground realities. The timing, tone, and manner of the criticism must not affect the morale of the law enforcement personnel who are working for their country with courage and conviction and at grave risk to themselves and their families. Fighting this battle for last more than 10 years, they have lost their colleagues and friends in this process so they fully know the importance of the job they are performing. This is the story of all the police officers and personnel of the armed forces and the intelligence agencies in this fight against terrorism. They have experienced great personal losses.

Having said that, there is always room for improvement and that would come with solid suggestions and visibly active community support, which is the responsibility of the political and community leaders also. Politicians and critics have the right to ask tough questions and these questions should be asked without compromising the morale of the frontline officers.

NISP was drafted by a stand out police officer, Akbar Nasir Khan, and it was an important rather first policy document on internal security in the country’s history. NISP tackled all the issues from revamping criminal justice system to border management. Implementation has remained a challenge despite repeated reminders at various levels. Intelligence sharing, which was proposed in NISP in an organised manner, is of paramount importance for NACTA and it needs to be addressed under the office of the prime minister.

NACTA and JID need support from the political executive, which is lacking. The turf issue needs to be resolved at the earliest otherwise it would bring irremediable harm to our counter terrorism efforts. It is primarily the responsibility of the political executive to resolve this issue. NACTA has been a victim of turf war amongst various state actors, which we can’t afford given the situation that we are going through.

National Coordinator NACTA, Mr Ehsan Ghani, is a police officer of considerable reputation and he and his team have put in lot of time and energy in making it an active and working organisation. There is growing realisation in the media and the civil society also about the importance of a fully functional NACTA.

It must also be kept in mind that NAP requires multi-agency collaboration. Now, collaboration is easier said than done. It is more complicated in countries like ours where institutional interests and boundaries have not been well defined. ‘Trespassing’ has been a norm. It has been a struggle even in politically developed and mature societies. Homeland Security in USA has been a successful example of collaboration yet it also remains to this day a work in progress. Let’s hope we resolve these administrative issues soon so that we can ratchet up our counter terrorism efforts. We cannot afford to waste time in turf wars.