Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lamented the inability of his administration to make the National Counter Terrorism Authority Pakistan (NACTA) operational amid a resurgence of the terror scourge in the country and directed to get it functional as soon as possible and to implement the agreed National Action Plan (NAP) against all internal and external security threats.
He said this during a huddle of the civil and military top brass which met in Islamabad under the umbrella of the apex committee on Friday.
Sources said that PM Shehbaz chaired the meeting to review the internal and external security challenges to the country.
During the meeting, he directed the concerned quarters to speed up the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP).
Expressing concern over the non-functioning National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), Shehbaz also directed the apex committee to activate the national counter-terror body ‘immediately’.
Sources further claimed that during the meeting, the civilian and military leadership agreed to convene an All-Party Conference (APC) on the emerging law and order situation ‘soon’.
It was further agreed that that there will be no compromise on Pakistan’s security.
The top huddle also discussed and reviewed the economic situation of the country.
‘One party wants to settle issues on streets’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday criticizing that even as the state battles terrorists hiding in the shadows, one party wants to settle issues on the streets.
Addressing the review meeting of the apex committee held in Islamabad, the premier said that NACTA had become dysfunctional while highlighting the uptick in terrorism in the country.
He said that after the deadly mosque blast in Peshawar, all political stakeholders were invited to chalk out a unified plan.
However, without naming the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he criticized ‘one’ the party’s approach towards conflict resolution.
The premier said that one party wanted to settle things on the streets which was deplorable.
PM Shehbaz stressed the importance of political stability in the country for economic progress.
He said that no country would ever step forward to help Pakistan if “we cannot fix our own house”.
He added that the government had to accede to harsh demands from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while assuring that all pending issues with the global lender would be resolved.
The prime minister noted that friendly countries had also given the green signal for financial assistance following a thaw in talks with the IMF.
