Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said Pakistan is firmly committed not to allow any militant group to operate in the country or use its territory for any militant activity within or outside the country.
While chairing the first-ever meeting of the National Internal Security Committee here at the Prime Minister Office, the prime minister said the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) is the foremost priority of the present government as it is reflection of the will of nation and a consensus document agreed upon by all political parties of the country. He said the government is committed to remove all impediments towards implementation of the plan in letter and spirit.
The prime minister said Pakistan has suffered immensely, both in terms of human lives as well as material losses, due to the menace of terrorism. In return of huge sacrifices rendered by the armed forces, intelligence agencies, police, civil armed forces and other law-enforcement agencies, Pakistan has made significant progress towards combating terrorism and ensuring peace, he added.
Recounting various legislative and administrative measures taken by the present government in dealing with militancy, combating terror-financing, money laundering and hawala-hundi, the prime minister stressed upon the need for continued and sustained on-ground efforts towards taking this struggle to a conclusive end.
Finance Minister Asad Umar gave the meeting an update about matters related to the Financial Action Task Force and meetings held with the Asia Pacific Group. Interior Secretary Maj (r) Azam Suleman Khan apprised the meeting about progress on implementation of NAP and highlighted the efforts being made in dealing with the issues of cyber security, money laundering, madrassa reforms besides addressing various challenges in the way of successful implementation of the plan. The prime minister commended the efforts of the interior ministry towards ensuring coordination among the relevant agencies and departments vis-a-vis implementation of the NAP. The meeting decided to constitute expert working groups to ensure seamless coordination and implementation of every aspect of the NAP.
The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood, Minister for Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi, director general of Inter-Services Intelligence, federal secretaries, director general of Intelligence Bureau, chief secretaries of the provinces, inspector generals of police, provincial secretaries and senior officials.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan stressed the need for an enhanced coordination between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid to enforce the development agenda of the government. In a meeting with Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi at the PM Office, the two sides discussed the matters related to the legislation in Punjab Assembly and development projects in the province. The prime minister lauded the performance of the Punjab Assembly in legislation. Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to consult the opposition once again on the National Action Plan (NAP). The prime minister directed the foreign minister to remove opposition’s reservations regarding the meeting, reports said. The opposition members should be briefed wherever they wish, the prime minister reportedly told the foreign minister. Separately, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said a letter to him from Prime Minister Imran Khan, which suggests three nominations each for the vacant posts for members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) from Balochistan and Sindh, did not adhere to the ‘intent and spirit of the constitution’. The response, written by director to opposition leader Munib Ali Phulputo, and addressed to the prime minister’s secretary Azam Khan, added that an earlier letter written to Sharif on the matter from the Foreign Minister’s Office on Mar 11 was also in ‘violation of the relevant articles of the constitution’. The response from the opposition leader’s office comes after the Prime Minister’s Office sent a letter to Sharif suggesting three nominations for the vacancies. The deadline set by the constitution for the purpose has already been missed earlier this month.