The National Action Plan (NAP) apex committee on Tuesday approved a full-fledged military operation in Balochistan to target militancy and separatist movements.
The committee once again vowed to revitalise the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta) under the vision of Azm-i-Istehkam to eradicate resurging terrorism.
Presiding over the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed a firm commitment to crush the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has been implicated in recent attacks on civilians and security forces in the province.The meeting was attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir, all chief ministers, the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, federal cabinet members and senior officials.
“The participants also approved a comprehensive military operation against terrorist organisations operating in Balochistan, including the Majeed Brigade, BLA, BLF (Balochistan Liberation Front) and BRAS (Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar), who are targeting innocent civilians and foreign nationals to scuttle Pakistan’s economic progress by creating insecurity at the behest of hostile external powers,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.
It said the COAS reiterated the Pakistan Army’s unwavering resolve to eliminate all threats to national security and support the government’s initiatives to ensure peace and stability.
The apex committee meeting focused on “Reinvigorating Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Campaign”, with participants being briefed on measures to counter terrorism, action against efforts to stoke sub-nationalism, religious extremism and disinformation campaigns, among other issues.
The committee highlighted the need for a unified political voice and a cohesive national narrative to address these multifaceted challenges effectively.
It was emphasised that political support across party lines and complete national consensus are critical to reinvigorating the national counterterrorism campaign under the framework of Vision Azm-i-Istehkam.
Threat assessment cell
“The revitalisation of Nacta and the establishment of National and Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre was also agreed upon,” the PMO statement said.
A whole-of-system approach was adopted, incorporating diplomatic, political, informational, intelligence, socio-economic and military efforts to address these issues comprehensively.
The committee also decided to establish district coordination committees under the provincial apex committees to implement federal and provincial directives seamlessly.
Addressing the participants, the prime minister said the country was moving on the path to stability due to the economic efforts and sincerity of purpose shown by all the stakeholders in governments, from the provincial chief ministers to the federation.
He said economic and political stability were interrelated and no society could aspire to progress with these two vital factors. “It is imperative for the economic and political stability that all the leadership should play their due role,” he added.
The premier stressed that the country’s progress and prosperity were linked with peace and an end to terrorism.
‘Sit-ins or progress?’
As the meeting took place days before PTI’s planned sit-in on Nov 24 (Sunday), PM Shehbaz urged the main opposition party to think about whether it wanted sit-ins or the progress of the country.