By 
20-11-24
Chiara Bellini
Team Pakistan Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
The Federal Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, the civil and military leadership forum on counter-terrorism, met on November 19th, 2024, to discuss new measures against terrorist organisations in the Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provinces (Dawn, 2024). All provincial chief ministers, Chief of Army, cabinet members and senior government officials were in attendance as the Chair, Prime Minister Sharif, discussed the spike in terrorist attacks targeting civilians and security forces in these regions, and the need to reinvigorate Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts (The News International, 2024).
Indeed, the Quarterly Security Report issued by the Pakistani Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) showed a 90 percent surge in violence and a sharp increase in fatalities of terrorism, amounting to 722 victims, in the third quarter of 2024 (July to September). However, the Report indicated that 92 percent of terrorist attacks and 97 percent of fatalities occurred in the Balochistan and K-P provinces (CRSS, 2024). Additionally, the Report underlined the deterioration of the State’s military control over the regions, causing growing incidents of target-killings and widespread fear among the population (CRSS, 2024). The last incident was registered in the K-P District Bannu on November 19th, 2024, where twelve security personnel lost their lives in a militant attack to a joint checkpoint in the area of Mali Khel (Geo News, 2024).
Thus, the high-powered forum adopted a comprehensive military operation plan against terrorist groups, including the Majeed Brigade, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS) (Dawn, 2024). It approved the revitalisation of the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and the establishment of the National and Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre to strengthen the collaboration between federal and provincial authorities, thus ensuring a seamless execution of the counter-terrorism campaign (The News International, 2024). The forum also showcased the government’s ambition to eliminate all threats to national security which go beyond terrorism, including religious extremism, subversion and disinformation campaigns, as well as public order threats (The Express Tribune, 2024).
Sources and further readings:
Centre for Research and Security Studies. (2024). 2024 Violence-linked Fatalities Overtake Full-year 2023 in Just Nine Months. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://crss.pk/2024-violence-linked-fatalities-overtake-full-year-2023-in-just-nine-months/
Raza, S. I., Govt unveils plan to crush militancy in Balochistan. (2024, November 20). Dawn. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1873614/govt-unveils-plan-to-crush-militancy-in-balochistan
Yousaf, K., Civil-military huddle approves terror purge in Balochistan. (2024, November 20). The Express Tribune. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2510726/civil-military-huddle-approves-terror-purge-in-balochistan
Yousafzai, A. A., Apex committee approves military operation in terror-hit Balochistan. (2024, November 19). The News International. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1252772-apex-committee-approves-military-operation-in-terror-hit-balochistanZehra, Z., Suicide attack martyrs 12 security personnel in Bannu: ISPR. (2024, November 20). Geo News. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://www.geo.tv/latest/575325-suicide-attack-martyrs-12-security-personnel-in-bannu-ispr
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