The National Action Plan (NAP) Apex Committee under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had announced the commencement of a comprehensive military operation in Balochistan to tackle terrorism and eliminate militant organizations operating in the region.
According to details, the communiqué issued after the meeting emphasised the need to reactivate the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta) and establish a national and provincial intelligence fusion center. It was also decided to set up centers to identify and address emerging security threats.
In line with the federal government's directives for counter-terrorism measures, the committee approved the creation of district-level coordination committees under the supervision of provincial Apex Committees. This is a significant step to streamline anti-terrorism efforts across the country.
During the meeting, officials were briefed on the renewed counter-terrorism campaign in Pakistan, focusing on challenges posed by terrorism, religious extremism, and the spread of disinformation in the region. The meeting outlined the strategies adopted by various institutions to combat these threats.
PM Shehbaz, while stressing the importance of political consensus and the promotion of a positive national narrative, highlighted that political stability is essential for achieving the mission of national security and overall stability.
The session was attended by the Army Chief, federal ministers, senior officials, Chief Ministers of all provinces, the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan.
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Gen Munir had underscored the collective responsibility of every Pakistani in the fight against terrorism, emphasizing that the war on terror involves contributions from both those in uniform and civilians.
“Every Pakistani is a soldier in the war on terror. Some are in uniform, and some are not,” General Munir said while addressing the apex committee meeting on the National Action Plan, highlighting the need for national unity against the menace of terrorism.
"We all have to fight the scourge of terrorism together," he stressed.
The army chief reiterated the importance of the Constitution, calling it paramount for all citizens. He stressed that the Constitution imposed a shared responsibility for ensuring internal and external security. “The Constitution imposes on us the responsibility of internal and external security. Whoever obstructs security will face the consequences,” he asserted.
Addressing challenges to national security, Gen Munir warned that those hindering the efforts of security forces would not go unchallenged. “Whoever prevents us from doing our job will face the consequences," he stressed.
Gen Munir noted that the Pakistan Army and law enforcement agencies are filling gaps in governance through the sacrifices rendered by the martyrs daily.
PM Shehbaz extolled COAS Gen Syed Asim Munir and cabinet team for making all-out efforts to put the country’s economy back to the track.
Addressing the Apex Committee on the National Action Plan (NAP), PM Shehbaz said: “The country’s economy is on the verge of the stability. The country’s uplift hinges on the robust economy.”
He stressed the need for collective efforts to lead the country towards prosperity.
The premier said: “We got to take sustainable measures to steer the country towards development and economic stability.”
Acknowledging the cooperation from the provinces, PM Shehbaz said: “The provinces have extended full support to the federal government on the success of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.”
“The State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) policy has dropped from 22 per cent to reach 15 per cent. The IT sector has also witnessed a boom. The remittances are also on the verge of stability.”
Underscoring the investment in the country, the premier said: “The foreign investors get encouragement by seeing that the local investors are making investments in the country.”
“The provinces and the centre will continue to ensure this will be the final programme with the international lender,” he stated.
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PM Shehbaz said: “The billions of rupee will be deposited in the national treasury which will ultimately reap benefits for the country as a whole.”
“Everybody has extended an olive branch to me for the sake of the country’s uplift,” he stated.
Speaking about the political opponents, PM Shehbaz said: “Anybody who wants to stage the protests can do so but after the wrapping up of the important events and occasions. The decision should be made whether to stage the protests or think about leading the country towards the prosperity.”
He made it clear that there is an urgent need to end the menace of terrorism to ensure the country’s uplift.
“We got to make all-out efforts to boost the tax base. We had to take the assistance of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and China for ensuring the completion of the IMF programme,” the premier stated.
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