REVIEWING THE NATIONAL ACTION PLAN: CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION & OPTIONS

DR TUGHRAL YAMINASSOCIATE DEAN

CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE & STABILITY (CIPS)

QUESTIONS

• WHAT IS NAP?• WHAT ARE THE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT IT?• WHERE HAS IT FAILED TO DELIVER?• HOW CAN IT BE IMPROVED?

WHAT IS NAP?• MAJOR COORDINATED STATE RETALIATION FOLLOWING THE DEADLY ATTACK ON APS

PESHAWAR IN DECEMBER 2014. • INSTITUTED BY GOP IN JANUARY 2015 TO CRACK DOWN ON TERRORISM AND TO

SUPPLEMENT THE ONGOING ANTI-TERRORIST OFFENSIVE IN NORTH-WESTERN PAKISTAN.

• RECEIVED UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF SUPPORT AND COOPERATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL SPECTRUM, INCLUSIVE OF THE FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS.

• COMBINES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC POLICY INITIATIVES AIMED TO CRACKDOWN AND EVENTUALLY ELIMINATE PROSCRIBED ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

• WAS PROVIDED THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE 21st AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF PAKISTAN WHICH ESTABLISHED SPEEDY TRIAL MILITARY COURTS FOR OFFENCES RELATING TO TERRORISM. IT HAS ALSO LED TO THE RESUMPTION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND MANDATORY RE-VERIFICATION THROUGH FINGERPRINT RECOGNITION OF ALL SUBSCRIBERS ON MOBILE TELEPHONY.

• AUTHORIZES THE FOREIGN, FINANCE, AND OTHER MINISTERIAL DEPARTMENTS TO REACH OUT TO THE FRIENDLY MUSLIM COUNTRIES TO CLAMP DOWN ON FINANCIERS OF SECTARIAN AND TERRORIST NETWORKS OPERATING AGAINST PAKISTAN.

NAP SCORECARD

1 PROCEED WITH THE EXECUTION OF EXTREMISTS CONVICTED IN TERROR RELATED CASES.

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2 SPECIAL COURTS, HEADED BY THE OFFICERS OF THE ARMED FORCES FOR SPEEDY TRIAL OF TERRORISTS. SUNSET CLAUSE: DURATION OF THE COURTS TWO YEARS.

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3 FORMATION OF ARMED MILITIA WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE COUNTRY

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4 NACTA TO BE REVIVED AND MADE EFFECTIVE ?

5 CRACKDOWN ON HATE-SPEECH, AND ACTION TO BE TAKEN AGAINST NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPREAD OF SUCH SPEECH.

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6 FINANCIAL SOURCES OF TERRORISTS AND TERROR ORGANIZATIONS TO BE CUT

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7 BANNED OUTFITS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES

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8 SPECIAL ANTI-TERRORISM FORCE WILL BE RAISED ?

9 MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO STOP RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM AND TO PROTECT MINORITIES

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10 MADRASSAS TO BE REGULARIZED AND REFORMED. ?

11 PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO GIVE ANY SPACE TO TERRORISTS

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12 KEEPING THE REHABILITATION OF IDPs AS THE TOP-MOST PRIORITY, ADMINISTRATIVE AND DEVELOPMENT REFORMS IN FATA WILL BE EXPEDITED

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13 COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE DESTROYED

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14 SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE INTERNET WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE USED BY TERRORISTS TO SPREAD PROPAGANDA AND HATE SPEECH, THOUGH EXACT PROCESS FOR THAT WILL BE FINALIZED

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15 LIKE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, NO SPACE WILL BE GIVEN TO EXTREMISM IN ANY PART OF THE PUNJAB

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16 OPERATION AGAINST TERRORISTS IN KARACHI WILL BE TAKEN TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION

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17 IN THE INTEREST OF POLITICAL RECONCILIATION, BALUCHISTAN GOVERNMENT WILL BE GIVEN COMPLETE AUTHORITY BY ALL STAKEHOLDERS

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18 ELEMENTS SPREADING SECTARIAN VIOLENCE WILL BE PROSECUTED. ?

19 COMPREHENSIVE POLICY WILL BE FORMED FOR REGISTRATION OF AFGHAN REFUGEES

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20 TO GIVE PROVINCIAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION OF TERRORISTS AND TO STRENGTHEN ANTI-TERROR AGENCIES THROUGH BASIC REFORMS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

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• CONVICTED 40 TERRORISTS• 36 AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE• 4 GIVEN LIFE TERM & 8 HANGED

MILITARY COURTS

LEGISLATION 21ST AMENDMENT PASSED

DEATH SENTENCE

• MORATORIUM LIFTED• 332 HANGED SO FAR

IBOs• 6,500 INTELLIGENCE-BASED OPERATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT• 1,388 INTELLIGENCE REPORTS WERE SHARED WITH INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES. • 54,376 COMBING OPERATIONS • AS A RESULT, 2,159 TERRORISTS WERE KILLED AND 1,724 ARRESTED.

NGOs• INGOs TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY REGISTER• LOCAL NGOs GIVEN 6 MONTHS TO REGISTER

SIMs• INGOs TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY REGISTER• LOCAL NGOs GIVEN 6 MONTHS TO REGISTER

POSITIVES

• NO VISIBLE LET DOWN IN TERROR FINANCING• NO SHORTAGE OF FACILITATORS

FINANCES & FACILITATORS

ACTS OF TERRORISM

• BADABER•BACHA KHAN UNIVERSITY•SHABQADAR•LAHORE PARK

AFGHAN REFUGEES

• SOME BASTIS IN THE CAPITAL RAZED•ABOUT 50,000 FORCIBLY RETURNED•MAJORITY OF THEM REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY

BORDER CONTROL

• STILL A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT

MADRESSAH REFORMS

• NO VISIBLE REFORM

CIVIL MILITARY COORD

• FAR FROM OPTIMAL

NEGATIVES

A POLICEMAN’S REVIEW OF NAPMA BABAKHEL, DAWN , JANUARY 24, 2016

• POINT ONE: EXECUTION OF CONVICTED TERRORISTS PERTAINS TO THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, THE PROVINCIAL PRISONS DEPARTMENTS, HOME DEPARTMENTS AND THE JUDICIARY.

• POINT TWO: TO ENSURE CONVICTION AND QUICK DISPOSAL OF TERRORISM-RELATED CASES, MILITARY COURTS WERE ESTABLISHED VIA THE 21ST AMENDMENT. TO ENHANCE THE EFFICACY OF THE EXISTING ANTI-TERRORISM COURTS AND REDUCE THE BACKLOG OF CASES IN SINDH, THE APEX COMMITTEE RECENTLY DECIDED TO INSTAL 30 ADDITIONAL COURTS.

• POINT THREE: THIS REITERATES THE RESOLVE THAT ARMED MILITIAS WON’T BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE. IT CONFORMS WITH ARTICLE 256 OF THE CONSTITUTION. IN FATA, THE ARMY DISMANTLED THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAINING FACILITIES OF SUCH MILITIAS. IN KARACHI, THE RANGERS AND POLICE JOINTLY REDUCED THE OPERATIONAL SPACE FOR SUCH FORCES.

• POINT FOUR: STRENGTHENING AND ACTIVATING NACTA LIES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S DOMAIN. A FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE TASK OF HIRING PROFESSIONALS. A JOINT INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE WILL START FUNCTIONING IN JUNE 2016.

• POINT FIVE: COUNTERING HATE SPEECH AND EXTREMIST MATERIAL IS THE SHARED JURISDICTION OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, POLICE AND SPECIAL BRANCHES OF THE PROVINCIAL POLICE. THE SITUATION WARRANTS THAT ALL THOSE WHO DRAFT, PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE SUCH MATERIAL BE NABBED.

• POINT SIX: CHOKING FINANCING FOR MILITANT GROUPS REMAINED A DORMANT AREA. TO ENSURE STERN ACTIONS AGAINST THE FACILITATORS AND FINANCIERS OF MILITANCY, THE GOVERNMENT RECENTLY DECIDED TO ESTABLISH THE NATIONAL TERRORISTS FINANCING INVESTIGATION CELL TO TRACK FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS MEANT TO FUND EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM. THIS REQUIRES THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF THE STATE BANK, THE FINANCE AND INTERIOR MINISTRIES, THE BANKING SECTOR AND FIA.

• POINT SEVEN: IN ACTING AGAINST THE RE-EMERGENCE OF PROSCRIBED GROUPS, THE MINISTRIES OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERIOR HAVE ALREADY NOTIFIED SUCH ORGANISATIONS. IN THE PROVINCES, IT’S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTERTERRORISM DEPARTMENT, SPECIAL BRANCH, POLICE AND ADMINISTRATION TO REDUCE THE ROOM FOR SUCH GROUPS. IT IS ALSO THEIR JOINT RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THEY DON’T RESURFACE WITH NEW NAMES.

• POINT EIGHT: RAISING AND DEPLOYING A DEDICATED CT FORCE IS LINKED TO THE PROVINCES. THOUGH SUCH FORCES ARE NOW IN THE FIELD, THEY MUST BE UNDER A DEDICATED COMMAND AND NOT EMPLOYED FOR VIP DUTIES ETC.

• POINT NINE: TAKING EFFECTIVE STEPS AGAINST RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION REQUIRES PRACTICAL STEPS BY THE PROVINCES. NACTA IS PLANNING A PROCESS TO ASSESS THE VOLUME, SPREAD AND SEVERITY OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN THE COUNTRY AND THEN DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICYMAKERS.

• POINT 10: REGISTRATION AND REGULATION OF MADRESSAHS IS ANOTHER IDEAL THAT REMAINS TO BE ACHIEVED. TO MONITOR PROGRESS ON MADRESSAH REFORMS, KP RECENTLY ESTABLISHED DISTRICT MONITORING COMMITTEES.

• POINT 11: BAN ON GLORIFICATION OF TERRORISM AND MILITANT GROUPS THROUGH PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PEMRA AND MEDIA GATEKEEPERS. THE DRAFTING OF THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA CODE OF CONDUCT IS A POSITIVE INTERVENTION. THE CODE ALSO INCORPORATES THE RIGHTS OF VICTIMS.

• POINT 12: AFTER CLEARING OUT MOST OF FATA TO ENTRUST ITS ADMINISTRATION TO A CIVILIAN SET-UP, RECENTLY A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN TASKED TO SUGGEST REFORMS IN THE TRIBAL AREAS. IMPLEMENTATION IS IN THE HANDS OF THE CENTRE.

• POINT 13: DISMANTLING COMMUNICATION NETWORKS OF MILITANT GROUPS IN FATA IS BEING SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT BY THE ARMY.

• POINT 14: MEASURES AGAINST INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA ABUSE FOR TERRORISM PURPOSES IS THE DOMAIN OF THE FIA’S CYBERCRIME UNIT AND PTA. APART FROM LEGAL INTERVENTION, THE CAPACITY-BUILDING OF INVESTIGATORS IS REQUIRED. THE PUBLIC MUST BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE PROCEDURE OF LODGING COMPLAINTS RELATING TO CYBERCRIME.

• POINT 15: WHERE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR MILITANCY IN PUNJAB IS CONCERNED, ALTHOUGH ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN, INTENSIFIED INTELLIGENCE-LED OPERATIONS ARE STILL NEEDED.

• POINT 16: TAKING THE ONGOING OPERATION IN KARACHI TO ITS LOGICAL CONCLUSION, THE FEDERAL AGENCIES FIA, NAB AND RANGERS ARE ACTIVELY ASSISTING THE SINDH GOVERNMENT.

• POINT 17: TO MAKE RECONCILIATION A SUCCESS IN BALOCHISTAN IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CENTRE, THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AND THE POLITICAL PARTIES. THOUGH THE PACE IS SLOW, EFFORTS ARE AFOOT.

• POINT 18: DEALING FIRMLY WITH SECTARIAN MILITANTS PERTAINS TO HOME DEPARTMENTS, POLICE AND SPECIAL BRANCHES.

• POINT 19: POLICY ON AFGHAN REFUGEES RESTS WITH THE MINISTRY OF SAFRON, THE FOREIGN OFFICE AND THE PROVINCES.

• POINT 20: REFORMING CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS PRIMARILY THE PROVINCES’ TASK.

PERCEPTIONS ABOUT NAP• IT IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE• IT LACKS RESOURCES• ALL THE PROVINCES ARE NOT ON BOARD • THE MILITARY AND THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT

ARE NOT ON ONE PAGE• IT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP MAJOR TERRORIST

INCIDENTS LIKE: – BADABER (18 SEP 2015) 29 KILLED– BACHA KHAN UNIVERSITY (16 JAN 2016) 21 KILLED– SHABQADAR (8 MAR 2016) 17 KILLED– GULSHAN I IQBAL PARK (29 MAR 2016) 72 KILLED

HOW CAN NAP DELIVER?• CIVILIAN & MILITARY LEADERSHIP HAS TO BE

ON ONE PAGE• THE PROVINCES NEED TO SHOW SOLIDARITY

ON TERRORISM RELATED ISSUES• REQUISITE FINANCES NEED TO BE SPARED TO

FIGHT TERRORISM• LONG TERM ENVIRONMENT TO BE CREATED

THAT MITIGATES & PREVENTS TERRORIST TENDENCIES

Q&A