PESHAWAR: An assessment of the National Action Plan (NAP) has recommended restructuring of the country’s antiterrorism regi­me and introduction of radical reforms in multiple sectors to increase effectiveness of its counterterrorism policies.

The study — Stren­gthening Governance in Pakistan: Assessing the National Action Plan to Counter Terrorism and Extremism — conducted by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung was launched at a ceremony here on Sunday. It was attended by former National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) chief Ihsan Ghani, chairman of journalism department at Uni­versity of Peshawar Faizullah Jan, Awami Nati­onal Party (ANP) MPA Samar Haroon Bilour and experts, analysts and journalists.

Speaking on the occasion, Ihsan Ghani said efforts were under way to formulate a national security policy. He said that 16 subcommittees were formed under Nacta in 2016, but only one meeting of these bodies had taken place.

Mr Ghani said that initially Nacta was working under the Prime Minister Office but later handed over to the interior ministry in 2015. He suggested that the authority should be reverted to the PM Office. He said both the government and the nation were confused about the contours of NAP and the plan needed to be revisited.

“NAP should be reviewed afresh in the light of its past performance as well as according emerging challenges, forms and dynamics of extremism, terrorism and violence,” the study said.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2021