Pakistan to Effectively Raise Terrorism Issue with Afghanistan

Web Desk: The government has decided to raise the issue of terrorism with the Afghan government effectively through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired the second meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee.

The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Federal Interior Secretary, DG FIA, DG Passport, National Coordinator NACTA, Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Coordinator National Action Plan, and representatives of security agencies.

Punjab Law Minister Malik Sohaib Ahmad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Advisor for Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Sindh Interior Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, AJK Interior Minister, and Gilgit-Baltistan Interior Minister were also present. Additionally, all provinces’ Home Secretaries and IGs, including AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, participated via Zoom.

Speaking at the meeting, the Federal Interior Minister stated that the Prime Minister, Army Chief, and all stakeholders are on the same page in countering terrorism. He assured that no decision would be made without consulting the provinces.

The meeting reviewed progress on enhancing the capacity of Counter-Terrorism Departments (CTD) in the provinces. The minister emphasized that making CTDs fully functional at the provincial level is crucial for effectively combating terrorism. He also fully supported Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in addressing their unique challenges.

Mohsin Naqvi further stated that the FIA’s Counter-Terrorism Wing would be fully activated at the federal level. The meeting also reviewed progress on establishing National and Provincial Intelligence Fusion & Threat Assessment Centers. It was briefed that the approval for the National Intelligence Fusion & Threat Assessment Center has been granted, and work on setting up similar centers in all provinces is underway.

The Federal Interior Minister also announced that the Frontier Constabulary is being reorganized and transformed into a National Reserve Police force. To enhance monitoring, the meeting agreed to categorize explosive materials as a federal subject.

A key decision was made to raise the issue of terrorism with the Afghan government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stressed that all institutions must strictly enforce SOPs for the foolproof security of foreign nationals.