(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Top civil and military leaders approve National Action Plan against terrorism googletag.
Islamabad: Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership approved a 20-point landmark National Action Plan to combat terrorism extremism and militancy in a move described by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a ‘defining moment’ in the fight against the scourge. The plan was hammered out after evolving a compromise on two sticking points — establishment of military courts and regulating religious schools.
In his televised address later after midnight on Wednesday at the conclusion of a marathon session with the leaders of a dozen political parties and the military the prime minister said that the December 16 Peshawar school massacre has drawn a line between ‘coward’ terrorists and the Pakistani nation. “On one side are coward terrorists and on the other side stands the whole nation” he said.
“Pakistan’s soil will not be allowed to be used for terrorism against any country and we hope that no country will allow its soil to be used for terrorism against Pakistan” Sharif said in his speech.
“As a father I can understand how heavy the coffins of slain children were for their parents.
“With their blood our children have drawn a line between us and terrorists” the premier said.
“The Peshawar atrocity has changed Pakistan. We need to eradicate the mindset of terrorism to defeat extremism and sectarianism” he said. “This horrendous attack has shaken the nation as the terrorists attacked the future of this country.”
The 20-point National Action Plan envisages establishment of special courts for speedy trial of terror suspects and a crackdown on jihadi and sectarian outfits:
Keeping the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as the top-most priority expediting administrative and development reforms in FATA destroying communication system of terrorist organisations;
The social media and Internet will not be allowed to be used by terrorists to spread propaganda and hate speech though exact process for that will be finalised; no space will be given to extremism in any part of the Punjab;
Operation against terrorists in Karachi will be taken to its logical conclusion while in the interest of political reconciliation Balochistan government will be given complete authority by all stakeholders to deal with terrorism.
Elements spreading sectarian violence will be prosecuted;
Comprehensive policy will be devised for registration of Afghan refugees; provincial intelligence agencies will be given access to communication of terrorists and anti-terror agencies will be strengthened through basic reforms in the criminal justice system. Constitutional amendments and legislations will be carried out for this purpose. Sharif said terrorists have targeted our future by attacking the Army Public School in Peshawar and killing more than 130 children whose sacrifices will not go waste.
“These terrorists will have to pay the price for their heinous act and they will pay soon” Sharif said.
He said Pakistan has changed after the Peshawar massacre now there is no space for extremism terrorism sectarianism and intolerance. “We will not only eliminate terrorism will abolish the ideology of extremism” he added.
Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif who briefed leaders on Zarb-e-Azb operation in North Waziristan said: “We owe it to our next generation to eliminate the scourge of militancy once and for all.”
Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Asim Bajwa quoted the army chief as saying in the national action plan committee meeting that this is the right time to take “bold decisions”.
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