Nacta’s public launch today

ISLAMABAD: The National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) chief Ihsan Ghani is all set to give a briefing on progress with regard to the 20 points of the National Action Plan (NAP) on Monday (today). The briefing is also the first ever public launch of the authority, the country’s only civilian counterterrorism institution.

“It is indeed a very positive move that the Nacta has started giving a public visibility; however, the basic question remains unanswered that the legal requirement of the organization’s board of governors meeting is yet to take place even after three years of its legal existence,” Tariq Pervez, the founding head of the Nacta and retired chief of the FIA, told The News on Sunday.

It was Tariq Pervez who first gave the idea of Nacta in 2008 and became its first founding head. However, he stepped down in July 2010 after developing serious differences with the then government.

Nacta was created to develop a civilian counterterrorism narrative through research, intelligence coordination and consultation with all the stakeholders.

In August 2015, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan appointed Ihsan Ghani, a grade 22 officer of police group, as the Nacta head. Ghani is known as a reputable professional in the circles of police and administration. Ch Nisar had tasked him with turning the dormant organisation into a vibrant and efficient coordination body. 

Later, the minister also assigned the same organization to oversee and coordinate the 20 points of the NAP formulated to counter terrorism in the country in January 2015 soon after the Army Public School massacre in Peshawar on December 16, 2014.

In today’s briefing, Ghani would give progress review of the all 20 points of the NAP. The authority has already started consulting with different stakeholders on the issue of extremism.

The Joint Intelligence Directorate (JID) of the Nacta has also got nominees from the ISI, IB and MI. The JID is being established in ISI building at Aabpara. On the other hand, the Nacta is also facing the challenge of hiring new officers.