What left by the Apex Committee

The National Apex Committee expressed its determination to protect the life and property of the people at every cost and make an example out of the terrorists who shed the blood of Pakistanis. The forum assured the nation that those who attacked innocent Pakistanis, would be punished and the government would come up to its expectations.

Finally, the stage has been set once again, and the events started repeating after a pause of eight years, as the top civil-military joint mechanism has been revived in the center and at the provincial level. The first meeting of the National Apex Committee had been convened in Peshawar on Friday. The committee reviewed the implementation of the National Action Plan and deliberated over the suggestions put forth for its improvement in the current situation. The top national forum adopted multiple decisions including the upgradation of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), CTD, and police, and the provision of necessary training, weapons, and other equipment to LEAs to enhance their capacity. The committee also urged the Ulema and Religious scholars to condemn terrorism and play a positive role in eradicating this menace from the country.

In fact, Pakistan fell prey to the purblind policies of its leaders and no accountability of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, and the nation faced multiple setbacks in history including the separation of East Pakistan, recurrent dictatorships, industrial depletion, agricultural and economic collapse, flourishment of extremism and perennial resurgence of terrorism, no implementation of comprehensive National Action Plan (NAP) agaisnt terrorism and repetition of APS like massacres in the country. If there had a stern action against the perpetrators of the Agartala Conspiracy no fall of Dhaka was to happen and if the first dictator had been prosecuted for waging war agaisnt the state no other coup could occur if Justice trading had been ensured no horse trading ever happened. Similarly, if the perpetrators of the APS attack would have been hanged no terror leader ever dares to launch carnage in the Police lines Mosque in Peshawar.

Apparently, the haphazard and inconsistent policies have led the country to this day that each and every nook and corner of the national life describes a dismal condition because our leaders always take an apologetic and rueful approach in dealing with state affairs and mostly preferred party, individual or institutional interests over national prestige, peace, and prosperity.

The issue of terrorism is not an isolated phenomenon it has deep roots in our domestic policies including education, mosque and seminaries, immigration as well as foreign diplomacy, particularly regarding Afghanistan and millions of Afghan Refugees living in the country over the past four decades. Recently, the Afghan interim government has displayed a cold shoulder to Pakistani authorities and advised them to search for terrorism-safe havens in their own land. Realistically,

Pakistan needs to rationalize its internal and external policies and adopt a facts-based approach instead of security analysis, ifs, and buts. The Government must enforce a stern justice system, strict border management along with an anti-corruption campaign in custom/Border Police, enforcement of CVE measures, and an immediate return of Afghan refugees to their homeland, so peace can be restored and economic revival could begin in the country.