THERE is no denying that the government currently is faced with multiple challenges including that of security as the recent surge in terrorist attacks clearly speak of the terrorists rearing their ugly head again.
Peace was established after successful operations against criminals and terrorists in different parts of the country and there is a dire need not only to maintain these gains but also crush the remnant elements supported by some hostile foreign agencies to take the country forward on the path of sustainable peace and progress.
Chairing a high level meeting on law and order on Friday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) will be made fully operational to effectively deal with the threat of terrorism.
Better coordination amongst different security related departments is really important. NACTA was initially set up in 2008 administratively but its power and mandate were clearly spelled out in March 2013 under an Act of Parliament called NACTA Act 2013.
Its mandate was to devise action plans against terrorism and extremism and review their implementation.
This body would have to serve as a nerve centre and hub amongst the security agencies for intelligence sharing.
However, it is unfortunate that regardless of tall claims by successive governments, the NACTA has not fully been made functional.
For years, the body has been marred by shortage of human resource and operated with only few persons.
Still, we believe the staff requirement of the Authority is being fulfilled on an ad hoc basis by sending officers on a deputation basis.
Indeed those having the experience of serving in security agencies can prove to be a useful human resource to achieve the objectives for which the NACTA was established but at the same time, it is important that the organization has also its own permanent and dedicated staff in different domains so that it could emerge as a premier organization against terrorism.
This is an age of technology and the terrorists are also using it to perpetrate their nefarious designs.
Hence apart from security experts, the NACTA requires a strong team in the Information Technology so that the sordid designs could be effective pre-empted and averted.
The process of reviewing the National Action Plan should also be carried out by the Authority.
We are confident that the present government will provide the requisite resources to the NACTA to really make it a vibrant body against terrorism.
