‘Preventing children from going to school won’t be allowed’

Civil-military leadership reviews NAP’s implementation; PM says national resolve to fight terrorism unflinching; lauds LEAs’ sacrifices; Nawaz, Gen Raheel also have one-on-one meeting

ISLAMABAD: The civil and military leadership vowed on Monday that it would not allow terrorist elements to stop children from going to school by threatening them.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) all over the country. Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif was also present.

During the meeting, the prime minister vowed that the national resolve to fight terrorism and extremism was unflinching and those who were threatening children from going to school would be defeated. He reminded the meeting that the successful implementation of NAP was imperative for everyone. Referring to Operation Zarb-e-Azb, he said that the unmatched sacrifices rendered by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were commendable.

The civil and military leadership also expressed the resolve to implement NAP in its entirety and the provincial governments which are lagging behind in the process would be asked to expedite work on it.

Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, while briefing the meeting, said the implementation of the action plan in letter and spirit by all the federating units could ensure an effective check on terrorism and militancy. Despite difficulties, the NAP has worked well and would help in the elimination of terror and extremism. 

The meeting was also attended by National Security Adviser (NSA) to the Prime Minister Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar Malik, Secretary to Prime Minister (SPM) Fawad Hasan Fawad, Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza, and Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) Maj Gen Nadeem Zaki Manj.

Highly-placed sources told The News here that the huddle that lasted for about two hours at the PM House also discussed the overall law and order situation in the country, last month’s Bacha Khan University attack in Charsadda, quadrilateral interaction on Afghanistan, and developments with regard to ties with India. New Delhi has given an indication that its foreign secretary could visit Islamabad in the second week of this month but has asked for action on its complaint on the Pathankot attack.

The meeting was informed that Pakistan has sought tangible evidence from India to establish its point since the previous information was sketchy and inadequate. Lt General (retd) Janjua briefed the meeting on the recent contacts furnished with India, the sources said. The Afghan intelligence chief is also visiting Islamabad on coming Thursday and the quadrilateral meeting of Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and the United States will take place on Saturday (Feb 6). The meeting also discussed the two upcoming events.

The Afghan intelligence chief is visiting Pakistan for the first time. He will be meeting the DG ISI. The meeting was informed that the quadrilateral meeting would draw up a road map for intra-Afghan talks, including Taliban.

The PM House stated that the meeting was briefed about different stages of NAP's implementation. The meeting also appreciated the successes achieved in the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The prime minister stated that terrorism will be eliminated from every nook and corner of the country. The prime minister and the army chief also had a one-on-one brief meeting, the sources said.