ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday chaired a meeting of the Apex Committee on National Action Plan (NAP) in Islamabad.
The Apex Committee strongly condemned the Peshawar attack and offered condolences for the martyrs who lost their lives in the attack.
In his remark at the meeting, the prime minister said that the government has zero tolerance for terrorists and swift persecution is required to set an example out of terrorist elements.
The prime minister emphasized that multi-pronged approach, full spectrum and vigorous implementation of NAP is required to thwart threat of terrorism. He stressed upon taking proactive measures to tackle such incidents in future.
The prime minister said that nefarious designs to destabilize the Country would never succeed as the entire nation is united to defeat the menace of terrorism.
Imran Khan said that the public realizes that elements are trying to create disharmony on the basis of sectarianism and hate speech, but the State will never allow such designs to succeed.
The Apex Committee stressed upon the need to strengthen the role of National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to coordinate measures essential for countering terrorism and capacity building of Counter Terrorism Departments.
It was also highlighted that Provinces need to allocate more resources for conducting effective investigations by adopting scientific techniques and setting up modern forensic labs. The need to accord conclusive end to terrorism cases in courts of law was emphasized.
The Secretary Interior Division presented a detailed briefing on the implementation status of NAP including measures taken to choke terror financing, countering violent extremism, investigation & prosecution of terrorism cases, intolerance towards militancy capacity building of law enforcement agencies, regulation and registration of seminaries, merger of formerly FATA areas, reforms in criminal justice system, eliminating sectarian terrorism, curbing smuggling, narco-traffic and human trafficking reconciliation process in Balochistan and issues related to refugees.
The meeting was briefed that satisfactory implementation has been achieved on majority action points; however, support from provincial governments is required for inter-provincial issues.
The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers including Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed & Asad Umar, the National Security Advisor Dr. Moeed Yusuf, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Provincial Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries, Inspector Generals of Police and senior civil and military officers.