Reviving Nacta

Once again there has been much talk about the central role Nacta is going to play in counterterror efforts. We hear that apex committees will see a revival and there will be renewed measures to counter the resurgent terrorism. All this has transpired after the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting held last week. There have been increasing questions about how and when firm action will be taken to tackle the rising terrorism and its perpetrators such as the TTP and its allied components working under various guises and carrying a diverse nomenclature. What the country needs – much more than meetings and promises – is a doable strategy and apparatus to counter terrorism effectively. The recent surge in militancy calls for revitalizing all existing mechanisms that have either become dormant or have not been used in an effective way.

The people of Swat have been bearing the brunt of the recent terrorist activities as they fear a dreaded replay of the displacement of nearly a million people over a decade ago when the TTP managed to occupy a major portion of the Swat valley and even cities and towns witnessed the worst form of brutality the hands of the TTP militants. There have been large-scale protests in Swat against the growing insecurity in the valley and surrounding areas. The most disappointing aspect of the recently surging terrorism in Swat is that there has been an attempt to almost downplay the gravity of the terrorist threat in the region. The talks with the TTP were a non-starter from the beginning and there was no formal announcement about the negotiations. The talks remained inconclusive and anyway there was not much hope from this exercise that had to be futile. The authorities have been reiterating and highlighting their capability to contain threats to national security, but the ground realities have been presenting a different picture. The protests in Swat should serve as a wakeup call as the people of Swat this time around do not appear to be ready for any violence and displacement.

It has been ten years since the attack on Malala Yousufzai but even after an entire decade the people of Swat are once again finding themselves at the mercy of terror. The promises about dealing strictly with terror and militancy must now take a concrete shape. Words lose their meaning when authorities are unable to translate them into concrete action. The country has witnessed a series of counterterrorism operations, but we need a comprehensive plan at the moment before more lives are lost to senseless violence. Originally, Nacta was conceived as a clearinghouse for intelligence from all the different civilian and intelligence agencies. This has not been put into practice because of various reasons. Raw intelligence on its own is rarely useful. It is only when various strands of data are combined and intelligently analyzed that it becomes workable. This requires trust. Militancy is a threat so potent that the only way to defeat it is by presenting a united front. Nacta needs to become that united front.