{"id":3661,"date":"2016-02-03T17:14:54","date_gmt":"2016-02-03T12:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/jwt2015\/?p=3661"},"modified":"2019-11-18T12:46:57","modified_gmt":"2019-11-18T07:46:57","slug":"resurrecting-nacta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jworldtimes.com\/old-site\/pakistan-affairs\/resurrecting-nacta\/","title":{"rendered":"Resurrecting NACTA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Final<\/a><\/p>\n

In the recent years, the menace of terrorism has emerged as a global phenomenon and the most daunting challenge to world security. Pakistan is also not immune to this curse and has been caught in the tentacles of this monster since long. The recent surge in terrorist incidents in the country points toward the urgency of reinvigorating the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). With a dedicated person like Lt Cdr (retd) Ihsan Ghani, who has a vast experience in countering terrorism, at the helm, it can be earnestly hoped that NACTA will become the state’s most potent tool in eliminating terrorism from the Pakistani soil.

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The fateful incident of 9\/11 was a turning point in the world history. This marked the advent of an era where the incidents of terrorism soared unprecedentedly and many countries, especially some Muslim states of Middle East and South Asia, were thrown into the inferno of terrorism in which they are still burning. Countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya and, more recently, Syria have seen massive destructions and colossal losses of life and property at the hand of various terrorist groups especially the self-styled Islamic State (IS).<\/p>\n

\"Final<\/a>The case of Pakistan is unique in the sense that in spite of being the most-allied ally of the United States and a frontline state in the global war on terror, the people of Pakistan have been indiscriminately targeted by terrorists of various kinds and factions. The most heinous acts of terrorism have been perpetrated against the innocent people; mosques, imambargahs, churches, temples, schools, markets; nothing has been spared by these bestial elements. Although successive governments \u2014 civil and military alike \u2014 in Pakistan launched various military operations like Operation Al-Mizan (2002-2006); Operation Zalzala (2008); Operations Rah-e-Haq and Rah-e-Rast (2007-2009); Operation Rah-e-Nijat (2009-2010); Operation Black Thunderstorm and Operations Khyber-1 and Khyber-2 (Oct 2014-July 2015), in country’s tribal areas to flush out anti-state elements, the hydra of terrorism could not be slain yet. The terrorists regrouped and, after rejuvenating their strength, re-emerged as a more potent threat than ever before. <\/p>\n

It was also frequently witnessed that despite intelligence leads about a possible attack, country’s security agencies could not take timely steps to neutralize the impending threat. It was because there was no platform available where all intelligence agencies could share the information, they had gathered, under a unified command. Hence, establishing such an institution was the most pressing need of the time. It was especially important when we had before us the examples of developed countries that established such agencies and successfully thwarted any acts of terrorism. Following are some pertinent examples in this regard:<\/p>\n

United States Department of Homeland Security established in November 2002<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mandate:<\/strong> The Department works in the civilian sphere to protect the United States within, at, and outside its borders.<\/p>\n

US National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC) set up in August 2004<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mandate:<\/strong> To serve as the primary organization in the US government for integrating and analyzing all intelligence pertaining to terrorism possessed or acquired.<\/p>\n

The British Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) established in 2003<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mandate:<\/strong> To provide advice to the British government and firms within the Critical National Infrastructure on terrorist threats.<\/p>\n

The Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) created in 2007<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mandate:<\/strong> To lead the work on counter-terrorism in the UK, working closely with the police and security services.<\/p>\n

The Australian National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NCTC) constituted in 2002<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mandate:<\/strong> To provide strategic and policy advice to the government, coordinating nation-wide counter-terrorism capability and developing jurisdictional interoperability.
\nAll these entities draw up national counterterrorism strategies \u2014 American ‘4Ds’ (Defeat, Deny, Diminish and Defend) and the British ‘4Ps’ (Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare), for instance \u2014 to give an impetus to the counter-terror efforts of their respective states.<\/p>\n

The government of Pakistan, though belatedly, recognized the need for establishing a counter-terrorism agency that would not only \u201creceive and collate data or information or intelligence, and disseminate and coordinate between all relevant stakeholders to formulate threat assessments\u201d but would also \u201cdevelop action plans against terrorism and extremism\u201d. Consequently, an entity with the name of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) was established in January 2009 by the PPP-led government. But, unfortunately, like many other policies, the matter of invigorating NACTA was also put on the backburner. Pakistan kept on bleeding and the wounds inflicted by terrorists on the Pakistanis kept on festering. In the meantime, the United States launched Operation Geronimo in Abbottabad whereby it claimed to kill the world’s most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden; turning the world opinion against Pakistan and the country was seen as a breeding ground for terrorism.<\/p>\n

\"Final<\/a>However, in 2013, Mian Nawaz Sharif came to power with a vision to rid the country of terrorism and to put it back on the road to economic progress and development. Soon after his inauguration as Prime Minister of Pakistan, he established a special committee to hold negotiations with the Taliban in order to establish peace in the country. But, unfortunately, these efforts could not succeed as the terrorists saw those as a sign of government’s weakness and continued carnage in almost all parts of the country. It is to be remembered that the terrorists had got weakened by intermittent military operations, but in order to eliminate them forever, a coup de grace came in the form of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, launched in June 2014.<\/p>\n

Under the valiant leadership of the current Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif, Operation Zarb-e-Azb has achieved extraordinary successes, and numerous terrorists have either been exterminated or they have fled the country and have hidden in Afghanistan. But,\u00a0 one would hardly disagree that the successes gained in a military operation cannot long last unless they are reciprocated by civilian government’s prudent polices. In this regard in February 2014, the first comprehensive National Internal Security Policy (NISP) was announced wherein comprehensive policy measures were given. But, then came the day of 16th December 2014. On this Black Day of Pakistan’s history, an appalling, awful tragedy befell the nation when the terrorists attacked Peshawar’s Army Public School claiming the lives of more than 150 innocent schoolchildren. By orchestrating such a heinous attack, the terrorists earned the wrath of the nation and the whole nation got united to do away with the terrorism and the terrorists once for all.<\/p>\n

The government chalked out a 20-point National Action Plan wherein all political parties and country’s civilian and military leadership showed a consensus on \u201cstrengthening and activation of NACTA\u201d \u2014 an entity that has been dormant since its inception. However, a positive development was seen when on 31st December 2014, the first meeting of the NACTA executive board was held to develop measures for counterterrorism.<\/p>\n

Although more than a year has passed since then, no substantial outcomes of NACTA’s policies have been seen yet. In addition, terrorist incidents in January 2016, especially the one on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, have shocked people and the issue of effectiveness of NACTA under NAP to ensure internal security has again come into limelight.<\/p>\n

The resurgence of terrorist activities calls for a review of counterterrorism and counter-insurgency policies especially the resurrection of NACTA. As mentioned earlier, the Authority has remained largely inert since its\u00a0 inception, and was seen as merely another redundant body with little say in the formulation or implementation policies related to extremism and counterterrorism; However, it is high time that the government reinvigorated NACTA as this can be the most effective arm of the government in countering terrorism.<\/p>\n

A major impediment to making NACTA effective was the lack of leadership at the top level as well as the induction of staff. The matter has been resolved now as the induction of staff has been approved. Moreover, the government, after months of dillydallying and making experiments by appointing different people as NACTA head, finally took a prudent step and, in August 2015, appointed Lt Cdr (retd) Ihsan Ghani \u2014 former IGP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa \u2014 as national coordinator of the Authority. The appointment of Mr Ghani is being widely hailed as a good start as he is a very talented officer with impeccable credentials. Having rich experience of curbing militancy and extremism and in dealing with security and law-enforcement at his credit, Mr Ghani was the most suitable man to lead this organization.<\/p>\n

A cursory look at the contemporary world would reveal that the terrorism has become a global phenomenon. From Palmyra to Paris, from Kabul to Istanbul, from Sinai to Beirut, from Sana to San Bernardino; the self-styled Islamic State has launched attacks in almost all parts of the world. In Pakistan, too, this monster is showing its presence \u2014 though the government claims otherwise \u2014 through incidents like Safoora Goth attack on Ismaili community. Hence, the most daunting challenge before the new NACTA chief would be to defeat IS.<\/p>\n

It is to be understood that the IS is a transnational terror group as it has attracted even well-off, highly-qualified youth from all parts of the world. According to a renowned anthropologist Scott Atran, who has interviewed terrorists in the days leading up to their executions, there are two broad categories of IS recruits:<\/p>\n

The first one comprises terrorists born in Iraq, Syria and the Levant who fight for the cause locally. They have nothing to do with Islam or Islamic teachings as Atran noted:
\n\u201cNone of the ISIS fighters we interviewed in Iraq had more than primary school education \u2026 When asked ‘what is Islam?’ they answered ‘my life.’ They knew nothing of the Quran or Hadith.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second type is of the terrorists of a different breed. They are the foreigners who are well-educated, and emotionally stable people who \u201cfall within the mid-ranges of what social scientists call ‘the normal distribution’ in terms of psychological attributes like empathy, compassion, idealism and wanting mostly to help rather than hurt other people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pace of rise of IS in Afghanistan is almost unprecedented. Many of Taliban from Afghanistan as well as Pakistan have showed their allegiance to the IS and it is fast replacing Taliban and is posing a graver threat to the stability of the region. If extremist elements or terrorists in Pakistan are not neutralized at the earliest then it is highly probable that they would be attracted by the IS and would pose a more daunting challenge to the country’s security.<\/p>\n

Given all this background and recent scenario, the government should put in concerted efforts to make NACTA proactive, and launch nationwide campaigns to enlighten people on the true image of Islam and the real culture of our country that reject any sort of violence, extremism and terrorism and profess true values of humanity.<\/p>\n

A blueprint of these policies and the related areas is being presented hereunder:<\/p>\n

Education Campaign<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n