Federal Apex Committee Approves Comprehensive Military Op in Balochistan

Web Desk — The federal apex committee of the National Action Plan has formally approved a comprehensive military operation against active terrorist outfits in Balochistan.

According to the statement issued by the PM office, the operation would target terrorist organizations operating in Balochistan including the banned outfits “Majeed Brigade, BLA, BLF, and BRAS who are targetting innocent civilians and foreigners to scuttle Pakistan’s economic progress by creating insecurity at the behest of hostile external powers.”

The meeting was called in the wake of a spike in terror attacks on security forces and civilians. The latest deadly suicide explosion at Quetta railway station claimed at least 27 lives and left over 60 others injured.

The agenda of the Federal Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in chair, focussed on “Reinvigorating Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism (CT) Campaign”.

According to the statement, concerned officials briefed the participants on the evolving security landscape and the measures being taken to counter terrorism and other critical challenges, including general law and order situation, actions against efforts to stoke sub-nationalism, religious extremism, tackling the illegal spectrum and crime-terror nexus, subversion and disinformation campaigns, among other issues.

The top civil-military platform highlighted the necessity of a “unified political voice and a strong national narrative” to effectively address such multifaceted challenges.

The meeting agreed that political support across party lines and complete national consensus are critical to reinvigorating the national counter-terrorism campaign under the framework of Vision Azm-e-Istehkam.

The meeting also approved the revitalization of NACTA and the establishment of the National and Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre.

According to the statement, a whole-of-system approach was adopted, incorporating diplomatic, political, informational, intelligence, socio-economic, and military efforts to address these issues comprehensively.

To ensure the seamless execution of the CT campaign,
specific emphasis was placed on strengthening collaboration between federal and provincial governments and relevant institutions and ministries.

It was decided that district coordination committees would be established under the provincial apex committees to ensure the implementation of directions received from federal and provincial governments.