Nacta under PM can ensure agencies coordination

ISLAMABAD: The strengthening of Nacta — which is pivotal for much-needed coordination between intelligence and security agencies to effectively check terrorism — is only possible if the prime minister brings the body under his direct control.

Implementation on the National Action Plan is far from satisfactory in certain other areas but without any reliable coordination system between the intelligence agencies, the fight against terrorist networks is bound to remain flawed.

The idea of developing Nacta was conceptualized several years back but despite having been set up through an Act of parliament in March 2013, the institution remained dormant while thousands of Pakistanis have been killed by terrorists during all these years.

On papers, Nacta is the most relevant institution to curb terror and for the same reason it was resolved in the National Action Plan, finalised in December 2014, to strengthen the institution. However, since then Nacta has been crying for funds and postings of officers to run the organisation as per its legal mandate. Similarly, despite repeated requests made to the incumbent prime minister, not even a single meeting of the high-powered Nacta Board was four times in a year.

Nacta, which is an attached department of the interior ministry, is also not being taken seriously by the powerful intelligence agencies.

The Nacta law and National Security Policy propose setting up of Joint Intelligence Directorate so that through a coordinated mechanism more than 30 intelligence and security agencies could collectively fight against terrorism. However, this idea could not be materialized because Nacta is not considered that important by certain powerful intelligence agencies.

Pakistan is a unique country where more than 30 intelligence and security agencies are working without any oversight and coordination system as each one of them is reporting to different bosses.

Official sources believe that Nacta could be strengthened only if it is placed under the direct control of the prime minister instead of the interior ministry. Bringing Nacta under the prime minister will make this institution important enough that it is not ignored by anyone.

Besides ensuring coordination among the agencies, Nacta under the prime minister could also be used for an oversight of the intelligence agencies.

It is relevant to mention here that in 1989, Air Marshal Zulfikar Ali Commission had also recommended formation of a prime minister-led National Security Council and setting up of Joint Intelligence Committee to ensure that the intelligence agencies should operate within the parameters of their respective legal mandate. These proposed institutions were also considered vital to ensure necessary coordination between the intelligence agencies. 

What Pakistan badly feels today was recommended by the Commission in 1989. It had proposed, “In order to ensure that the entire intelligence activity at the national level receives a unified policy direction and there is coordination between various intelligence agencies, it is considered necessary that a Standing Committee of the Cabinet is created for the purpose on the pattern of those existing in UK, USA, Germany, France, India and Israel.”

The Commission had said that such a committee might be called "National Security Council" (NSC) and comprise of prime minister as its chairman and members including foreign minister, defence minister, interior minister, finance minister, chiefs of three armed forces and chairman of the proposed Joint Intelligence Committee.

It is pertinent to mention here that if in the presence of an influential minister like Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Nacta can’t be empowered, no other minister can do it.

On papers Nacta is a highly powerful body as its Board of Directors is headed by the prime minister and its members include all the provincial chief ministers, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, prime minister of the AJK, interior minister, law minister, defence minister, finance minister, DG ISI, DG Intelligence Bureau, DG Military Intelligence, DG FIA, chief secretaries and inspector generals of all the provinces, secretary interior and others.

Nacta board’s composition and its mandate as per the Nacta law make it the most vibrant and powerful body to evolve and implement counter-terrorism strategies and policies.