Committee proposes 17 steps to check terrorism
* Working group recommends an anti-terrorism council be established; NACTA be made effective; special task force against terrorism be created

By Tanveer Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: The Committee of Parliamentary Parties for National Action Plan on Tuesday took up the 17 recommendations of its working group and deliberated upon them in detail.

The committee held brain-storming session over the seventeen recommendations of working group which emphasized strong military, administrative, legal measures spanning from military courts in FATA to reforms in religious seminaries to banning of hatred material in the country. During the committee meeting, opinions differed on various issues. For instance members from FATA in the committee objected to setting up the military courts in FATA by excluding the others. Whereas representatives of religious political parties showed concerns over the reforms in religious seminaries.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan while chairing the session of the committee submitted a draft of the recommendations of the working group comprising of 17 points. According to sources, Jamaat Islami opposed establishment of the military courts. The party representative argued that the existing judicial system has punished the culprits and opposed formation of military courts in presence of the constitution and the law. JI leader also argued that the military courts will bypass the existing judicial system.
The working group recommendations proposed formation of the anti-terrorism council to be chaired by the prime minister and represented by interior ministry, the army, the Inter-Services Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and other organizations as well as strengthening the National Anti counter terrorism Authority and formation of a special task force to combat terrorism. It proposed that militants included in schedule fourth of the anti-terror act be arrested and a ban be imposed on the militant organizations and their leaders as well as ban on hate speech and literature and underscored the need for reforms in the religious seminaries.
It also called for action through monitoring internet activities of terrorists by the Federal Investigation Agency and also suggested that protection to religious minorities and cancelling all the licenses for explosive material. It also suggested the ban on glorifying the terrorist’ elements on national electronic and print and urged that it should be considered as criminal offence. The experts also recommended that act of praising terrorists through electronic and print media should be considered as a crime. It proposed buttressing the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and reinvigorating the intelligence system.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned All-Parties Parliamentarians Heads (APC) conference today (Wednesday) to take political leadership into confidence over measure meant to uproot terrorism. PM Nawaz announced the decision at a high-level meeting he presided over to hold consultations with key cabinet members, legal experts and military officials over national security issues. Officials said all political parties have been invited to attend the conference wherein recommendations of the Anti-Terrorism National Action Plan (ATNAP) Committee would be presented.

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

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