Pakistan Affairs Notes CSS Notes

The National Action Plan: An Overview

The National Action Plan: An Overview
Written by Shahzad F. Malik

The National Action Plan (NAP) is a comprehensive strategy that was developed by the Government of Pakistan in 2015 in response to the escalating threat of terrorism and extremism in the country. The NAP aims to address the root causes of terrorism and to provide a framework for the government, civil society, and other stakeholders to work together to address the issue.

The NAP consists of 20 points that address a wide range of issues related to terrorism and extremism, including law enforcement, military operations, counter-radicalization, and development. Some of the key points of the NAP include:

Strengthening law enforcement:

The NAP aims to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism and to improve the criminal justice system to ensure that terrorists are brought to justice.

Military operations:

The NAP calls for the continuation of military operations against terrorists and extremist groups in order to disrupt their activities and to strengthen the state’s control over its territory.

Counter-radicalization:

The NAP seeks to counter the ideology of extremism by promoting alternative narratives and by working with religious scholars and other opinion leaders to promote a more tolerant and inclusive vision of society.

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Development: The NAP recognizes that development and economic growth are important for reducing the appeal of extremism, and calls for the implementation of development programs in areas that are at risk of radicalization.

International cooperation: The NAP calls for greater cooperation with other countries and international organizations to address the threat of terrorism and extremism.

Overall, the National Action Plan is a multifaceted strategy that aims to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan and to promote a more stable and secure society.

20 points of National Action Plan

The National Action Plan consists of 20 points that address a wide range of issues related to terrorism and extremism, including law enforcement, military operations, counter-radicalization, and development. Here are the 20 points of the NAP:

  1. Strengthening the criminal justice system to ensure that terrorists are brought to justice.
  2. Taking action against terrorists and extremist groups, including through military operations.
  3. Promoting a culture of tolerance and inclusion to counter the ideology of extremism.
  4. Strengthening the capacity of law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism.
  5. Implementing a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy that includes prevention, prosecution, and rehabilitation.
  6. Developing a comprehensive national narrative that promotes pluralism and tolerance.
  7. Promoting economic development in areas at risk of radicalization.
  8. Strengthening the role of civil society in promoting peace and stability.
  9. Implementing a national action plan to counter violent extremism.
  10. Strengthening the national counter-terrorism database and information-sharing mechanisms.
  11. Strengthening the legal framework to combat terrorism and extremism.
  12. Strengthening the capacity of the media to promote a positive narrative and to counter extremist propaganda.
  13. Implementing a national counter-terrorism financing strategy.
  14. Implementing a national action plan on human rights.
  15. Promoting the role of religious scholars in promoting tolerance and countering extremism.
  16. Enhancing cooperation with the international community to address the threat of terrorism and extremism.
  17. Improving the capacity of the education system to promote pluralism and tolerance.
  18. Strengthening the capacity of the health sector to prevent and counter violent extremism.
  19. Promoting the role of women in promoting peace and stability.
  20. Strengthening the capacity of the government to address the drivers of terrorism and extremism.

Importance of National Action Plan

The National Action Plan (NAP) is a comprehensive strategy that was developed by the Government of Pakistan in 2015 in response to the escalating threat of terrorism and extremism in the country. The NAP is important for a number of reasons:

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  1. It addresses the root causes of terrorism and extremism: The NAP recognizes that terrorism and extremism are complex issues that require a multifaceted approach. It therefore addresses a wide range of issues, including law enforcement, military operations, counter-radicalization, and development, in order to address the root causes of these problems.
  2. It provides a framework for addressing the threat of terrorism and extremism: The NAP provides a clear and comprehensive framework for addressing the threat of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan. It identifies specific actions that need to be taken and provides a roadmap for implementing these actions.
  3. It promotes national unity and cooperation: The NAP recognizes that terrorism and extremism are issues that affect all parts of society, and it therefore calls for the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders in the process of addressing these issues. This includes the government, civil society, religious scholars, and the media, among others.
  4. It promotes international cooperation: The NAP recognizes the need for international cooperation in addressing the threat of terrorism and extremism, and it calls for greater cooperation with other countries and international organizations.

Overall, the National Action Plan is an important strategy that aims to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan and to promote a more stable and secure society.

National Action Plan and Provincial Governments

The National Action Plan is a national strategy that applies to all provinces of Pakistan and is implemented by the federal government in cooperation with the provincial governments.

Each province has its own counter-terrorism department that is responsible for implementing the National Action Plan at the provincial level. The provincial governments also have the authority to take additional measures to address the threat of terrorism and extremism in their respective provinces.

In order to ensure the effective implementation of the NAP, the federal government works closely with the provincial governments to coordinate and support their efforts. This includes providing technical and financial assistance, as well as sharing information and intelligence.

The National Action Plan is a national strategy that is implemented by the federal government in cooperation with the provincial governments, with the aim of addressing the threat of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan

Stakeholders of National Action Plan

The NAP is implemented by a wide range of stakeholders, including the federal government, provincial governments, civil society organizations, and the media, among others.

Some of the Stakeholders of the National Action Plan include:

Federal government: The NAP is implemented by the federal government, which has overall responsibility for coordinating and supporting the efforts of the various stakeholders involved in the process.

Provincial governments: The provincial governments have a key role in implementing the NAP at the provincial level, and are responsible for coordinating with the federal government and other stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of the plan.

Civil society organizations: Civil society organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations, play an important role in promoting the objectives of the NAP and in working with the government to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism.

Media: The media plays a critical role in promoting the objectives of the NAP and in raising awareness about the threats of terrorism and extremism. The media is also responsible for providing accurate and balanced reporting on these issues, and for challenging extremist propaganda.


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About the author

Shahzad F. Malik

Shahzad Faisal Malik is the administrator of CSSTimes.pk and is responsible for managing the content, design, and overall direction of the blog. He has a strong background in Competitive Exams and is passionate and sharing information with others.
Shahzad Faisal Malik has worked as a Graphic Designer/Content Creator at CSSTimes in the past. In his free time, Shahzad Faisal Malik enjoys watching Cricket, writing blogs for different websites and is always on the lookout for new and interesting content to share with the readers of this website.
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