ISLAMABAD: Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali has been appointed head of a sub-committee of the NAP Implementation Committee formed to review progress of cases being tried in various courts under antiterrorism laws.

According to a notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office seen by Dawn, the sub-committee has been constituted by National Security Adviser (NSA) retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua as head of the Committee on Implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP).

The sub-committee has been tasked to “thoroughly consider the implementation and execution” of three important points of the NAP and is required to submit the report to the main committee within 60 days i.e. by Nov 2.

The committee will review status of the “execution of the convicted terrorists and special trial courts and suggest steps for revamping criminal justice system”.

The committee is also required to suggest “viable proposals before the main committee for removing the bottlenecks” in the implementation of NAP.

The sub-committee comprises secretaries of the ministries of interior and law and justice; home secretaries of all the provinces; provincial chief secretaries; all prosecutors general of the provinces and secretary to the AG Office.

Sources said that the attorney general had already convened the first meeting of the sub-committee on an emergency basis in Lahore on Monday (tomorrow).

The Committee on the NAP Implementation under the NSA was formed last month during a civil-military meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the chair. The committee had been constituted following the criticism on the government from opposition parties as well as military circles for slow implementation of NAP. The main committee headed by Mr Janjua comprises director general military operations, interior secretary, director general of National Counter-Terrorism Authority, chief secretaries, inspectors general of police, home secretaries, additional secretary PMO and representatives of intelligence agencies.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2016