Punjab cabinet reviews counter-terrorism plan

LAHORE: The Punjab Cabinet’s Standing Committee on Law and Order (SCCLO) was briefed on the establishment of National Intelligence Fusion & Threat Assessment Centre (NIFTAC), which will operate under the auspices of the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA).

The initiative is set to revolutionise intelligence coordination efforts, creating a unified, real-time intelligence picture to swiftly address security threats at multiple levels.

Sources told The News that the NIFTAC, which is designed as a 24/7 operational centre, will serve as the central hub for intelligence gathering, analysis, and dissemination. By consolidating data from various law-enforcement, intelligence and security agencies, it will provide a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of emerging security risks. This information will be shared through a secure digital system, enabling faster decision-making, targeted responses and more efficient management of security challenges. This will create an agile and responsive security apparatus capable of addressing counter-terrorism challenges in a coordinated and effective manner.

At the heart of the initiative is the integration of the NIFTAC with the Provincial Intelligence Fusion & Threat Assessment Centre (PIFTAC). While NIFTAC will operate at the national level, the PIFTAC will focus on intelligence consolidation and analysis at the provincial level. This dual-layered approach ensures a constant flow of actionable intelligence from the grassroots to the national level, guaranteeing a well-coordinated response to any security threats.

The role of PIFTAC, which will be operational in Punjab, will be pivotal in consolidating intelligence from local law-enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies. By providing a unified security picture at the provincial level, the PIFTAC will improve coordination between local district-level fusion centres and the national centre.

Following the discussions, the Standing Committee of the Cabinet on Law and Order (SCCLO) decided to conduct a more detailed briefing by the teams from NIFTAC and Punjab’s CTD.