Critical Evaluation of the National Action Plan (NAP)

Abstract

After the Army Public School (APS), Peshawar attack in December 2014, Pakistan chalked out a National Action Plan (NAP), a 20-point counterterrorism roadmap, to root out extremism and terrorism. NAP—notwithstanding its inherent gaps—was a comprehensive document and covered various aspects of Counter-Terrorism (CT) and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) in Pakistan. On the kinetic front, operation Zarb-e-Azb (Sword of the Prophet) was extended from North Waziristan to other parts
of former FATA-region, Balochistan and Karachi. For non-kinetic measures, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA)—
Pakistan’s central counterterrorism body—was made functional. Against this backdrop, this article will critically analyze NAP’s implementation in Pakistan to point out additional steps needed to improve CT and CVE measures in Pakistan. While implementing NAP primary focus remained on hard measures hence soft interventions did not get the due attention. Therefore, Pakistan needs a smart approach by balancing its hard and soft CT and CVE policies to achieve sustainable peace and security.