Sir: The gory incident of the church attack in Peshawar on Sunday has once again proved that the state has failed in its basic role to provide security to its citizens. The change of the Inspector General of Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is merely an eyewash; a more drastic approach is called for. There is an urgent need to review the working of public institutions and organisations responsible for the security and safety of the life and property of the people. A national commission should be constituted to examine and study the working of concerned institutions.
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has been established to eliminate the menace of terrorism and extremism but, unfortunately, the previous government did not appoint its head, and it continues to function without a regular national coordinator. It is not understandable how ad hoc measures can effectively deal with challenges involving national security. According to Section 3 (2) of the NACTA Act, the authority functions directly under the prime minister who is the chairman of the board of governors.
ASGHAR MAHMOOD
Islamabad