National Security Policy

At last, the government of Pakistan announced its long awaited three-pronged policy National Security Policy (NSP). It is a major policy shift of responding to militants conducting attacks in the county with military action 2014-2018. It will initially cost the exchequer Rs. 32 billion to set up some new institutions and strengthen some of the old ones, including the NACTA, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Civil Armed Forces Headquarters and Rapid Response Force. It is a long term strategy. It is a pro-Pakistan policy.

The NSP is a consolidated security policy. It has been prepared in view of the last 13 years of experience, keeping in view the international models and financial constraints and after taking inputs from experts and security forces. From the ideological question to the social and from the strategy level to the operational, it answers everything. It discusses the role of the institutions, the provinces and the federation, and for a policy, it is plausible.

Framework
It envisages immediate measures and strategies that will stem the tide of terrorism, weaken it and eventually defeat it. According to the NSP paper, mid-term policy initiatives will address structural issues that have contributed to the evolution and growth of extremism, radicalism, militancy and use of violence as a political weapon.” Dialogue, isolation and deterrence are listed as the three elements of new NSP framework.

The paper consists of 100 pages. Two parts of which include dialogue and operational aims, while one part would remain secret. The most important part of it is the establishment of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). The formation of a 500 strong rapid response team to terrorism is another salient feature of it. By announcing the first-ever NSP, the government reiterated its resolve to bring peace in the country at all costs.

It is an offensive oriented policy and now security forces would respond by targeting militants in their hideouts. It is comprehensive counter-terrorism policy which deals all the possible aspects of socio-economy, politics, administration, legal apparatus, ideological barriers and the last but not the least, intelligence to make it perfect. It identifies reasons of the perpetual waves of terrorism and discrimination. It adopts strong narrative to achieve sustainable social justice. It promises to eliminate the flaws in existing criminal justice system. It pledges to take care of the worries of the people and giving them a better world, fear from suicidal attacks and terrorist activities.

The above diagram clearly shows the integrative approach of the government to counter the threats of terrorism in the days to come. It also upholds the importance of research, intellect, diplomacy and soft power to handle the menace of terrorism. It indicates the value of strategic planning, human resource management and above all crisis management. It speaks the coordination and collaboration among the main stakeholders in the country. The NSP would be implemented gradually and its effectiveness will be reviewed during the next six months.

The main pillars of the newly announced National Security Policy (NSP) are given below as:

Table 1 pinpoint that the counter terrorism system would be brought under one roof mainly by setting up a joint intelligence directorate and conversion of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) into a decision-making entity.

NACTA: A Pro-Active Entity
Furthermore, the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) would be made pro-active to implement the new security policy. Its emphasis would be laid on improving the intelligence network along with establishing Raid Response Force (RRF) with helicopters at its disposal to deal with the menace of terrorism and militancy speedily. Also, an Internal Security Division is being established to strengthen coordination between all the civil armed forces of the country.

Intelligence Network Orbit: A Paradigm Shift
The new NSP is a paradigm shift in the organization composition, functioning, sharing and coordination and capacity building of the intelligence network in the country. The NSP stands for joint sharing for the better security and safety of vested interests of the country. It has changed the chain of command. It is a multidimensional policy which would revolutionize the outfit of intelligence network in the country.

Lack of Intelligence Sharing
The NSP rightly diagnosed that previously, lack of intelligence sharing between all the intelligence agencies badly hurt the easy and smooth functioning of the state which failed us in the war on terror. Insufficient allocation of funds kept us weak against the war of terror. We had outdated counter-terrorism paraphernalia both in terms of enhancing the fighting skills of the anti-terrorist force and intelligence gathering potential. Moreover, the element of human disaster and collateral damage in shape of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the areas of conflict has been remained one of main worry of the government. But in the recently sincere efforts are made to cover all the possible aspects of the war against terror

Right from the beginning, nothing has been done substantially for the centralized collection and sharing of important information among the different secrete agencies in the country due to which, government’s response against any disaster/terror activity remained uncompleted and illogical. Internal rift, comparative advantage, professionalism supremacy and easy and smooth access to information have been damaging the core fabric of the intelligence network of the country. Historically, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), being the premier spy outfit which is equipped with most sophisticated gadgetry, has had a strategic edge as compare to civilian spy agencies like the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which has no match with ISI. Placing the ISI under the joint directorate may be important and what is extremely important is to make the agency faithfully share its information with all others assembled under one umbrella. It would be gigantic challenge for the government to ensure cooperation among the intelligence agencies in the days to come.

Now, thirty three civil and military operational and intelligence agencies will contribute centralised intelligence sharing and dissemination to the NISA. All the intelligence agencies would be bound to provide any intelligence solicited by the NACTA.

According to the NSP, initially the government has four options to counter the terrorism which is given below as:

The new NSP paper says that besides the capacity building of Criminal Justice System, police, civil armed forces and other law enforcing agencies for border management, a key institution to be called the Directorate of Internal Security (DIS) would be established under the NACTA to coordinate the intelligence and operational work of all civilian and military agencies to effectively counter terrorism.

Table 2 table shows the comprehensive nature of the new NSP which covers all the possible aspects of the war against terror. According the NSP paper in order to fully develop and equip the Air Wing (AW) there is a need to increase the numbers of existing aerial assets, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles besides creating more field facilities. In this regard, in addition to the three operational airfields in Islamabad, Lahore and Quetta, four existing airfields can be utilised at Kohat, Bahawalpur, Fateh Jang and Ormara.

The NSP has four main frameworks which are given below as:

1. Soft Component
It deals with the dialogue option and highlights the primacy of the political process, supported by a Comprehensive Response Plan (CRP).
2. Hard component
It comprises Composite Deterrence Plan (CDP), which complements the existing internal security apparatus to combat terrorism.
3. Comprehensive Response Plan (CRP)
CRP is a composite process based on dialogue with all sections of society and includes infrastructure development, rehabilitation of victims of terrorism, national narrative reconciliation, reintegration and legal reforms.

4. Composite Deterrence Plan (CDP)
CDP admits that despite all material constraints, the overall performance of law enforcement agencies is inconsistent and needs improvement. It will provide a consistent approach through integration of specialised skills and capabilities to combat traditional and non-traditional threats to internal security. It needs restructuring and capacity building of NISA on urgent basis for enhanced service delivery of justice and security.

The CDP also seeks to change the posture of national internal security apparatus from reactive to proactive with the immediate objective to eliminate the growing menace of terrorism by filling the coordination gaps in intelligence regime to develop proactive systems.

National Agony
According to NSP From 2001 to 2005, there were 523 terrorist incidents in Pakistan but since 2007 to Nov 2013, the total number of incidents has risen to 13,198. Moreover, during the year 2013, there have been 1,361 incidents of terrorism. A comparative study of terrorist incidents in Pakistan shows that after the Marriott bombing in Islamabad and Lal Mosque incidents, the number of suicide attacks in Pakistan increased alarmingly.

From 2001 to 2007, there were only 15 incidents in Pakistan but since 2007 to Nov 2013, the total number of incidents has risen to 358, which is higher than any other place in the world. Another lethal trend is the use of improvised explosive devices against the law enforcing agencies and it has emerged as a “weapon of choice” of the terrorists.

Suggestions
In the NSP so many stakeholders dealing with internal security are mentioned due to which there is an urgent need to establish and activate an institutional framework for the implementation of policy and coordination both at the federal and provincial levels. In implementing the NSP, the political will of the government will be tested.

1. Internal Security
The Cabinet Committee on National Security (CCNS) should play active role in the implementation and deliberations of the NSP. Appointment of an internal security professional to ensure the implementation of policy and for monitoring coordination on behalf of the CCNS would deliver the goods in the days to come.

2. Pivot Role of NCATA
NCATA role must be to formulate counterterrorism and counter-extremism strategies. It should not only be a data collection forum of terrorism-related matters but also seek advice from think tanks and experts on security matters.

3. Functioning of NCATA
It is strongly suggested that instead of creating new layers of hierarchy vertically or horizontally bureaucracy or a division for intelligence coordination within NACTA or the interior ministry, it would be better to patronize the federal agency like the IB or the ISI along the same lines as the MI5 in the UK. The director-general IB or the director-general ISI must be given prominence.

4. Model of Elite Police
Punjab province has model of elite police units which have been fighting against counter-terrorism activities since 1990s. Therefore, establishment of a new counterterrorism force/unit in a province under the bureaucracy instead of the police command is not appreciable.

5. Specialisation and Capacity Building
We are living in a complex world of intellect and information technology where specialisation and capacity building measures play very important role in the overall efficacy of an organization. Depoliticising the police (Karachi), effective command and controls within the department and providing adequate resources to face security challenges must be way forward to revolutionize the police institution in the country. Community policing (many parts of the EU) and problem-oriented policing models (Germany, France and UK) need to be adopted to address the trust-deficit between the citizens and the police.

6. FIA’s Special Investigation Group
It is suggested that the special investigation group in the FIA should now be strengthened in order to cope with the white-collar crimes, cybercrimes, computer forensics and the analysis of the interrogation reports of arrested terrorists. Money laundering and terrorist financing model must be followed (US, and EU laws and practice of anti-money laundering). Financial regulatory bodies like Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), banks, financial development institutions including foreign exchange companies should share information and extend cooperation for the better scrutiny of the inflows of funds to militants, charity organizations and NGOs.

Most recently, the United Arab Emirates has established the biggest telephone observatory in the region which cares the vested interests of its national sovereignty and put a check on the in-out flow of the information. The government of Pakistan should seek the expertise of the UAE to establish this network in the country as soon as possible in the country.

7. New Role of Frontier Corps, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary
Civil armed forces like the Frontier Corps, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary can augment the capacity of law enforcement agencies to deal with terrorism the armed forces should be the last responder in the operational framework.

8. Revisiting of Judicial System
Our judicial system relating to terrorism prosecution is very weak due to many interrelated reasons of investigation, interrogation, legislation, infrastructure and the last but not the least, threats to witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, lawyers and judges. Pakistan has one the lowest conviction rates in terror-related cases in the world which needs to be rectified by providing the professional competence of the state machinery and introduce sound witness and judge protection programmes (Italian, Mexico criminal judicial models).

9. Formation of National Narrative
Formation of a national narrative is must to fight against looming threats of terrorism, extremism and sectarianism in the country. Terrorists and banned militant organisations activities must be dealt with iron hands (Saudi Arabia counter-terrorism strategies and laws for the formation of unified national narrative should be studied).

Rationale use of national and private media would be useful to marginable the narrative of the power of evil. Pentagon, KGB, Mossad and even Raw have been using the media to its own strength in order to protect the vested interest of their respective countries so why should not Pakistan? The recent US National Security Agency (NSA) systematic infiltration in the lives of common people within and around the globe clearly proves the importance of check on the flows of information. National genuine vested interests are superior to freedom of speech, personal privacy and human rights.

10. Dealing of Urban Terrorism
Many latest international watchdog agencies reports indicate that terrorism in Pakistan is getting younger and urban. It is a danger sign which has multiplier effects. Rapid response teams should deal with attacks in crowded urban environments and track down fighters instead of full-fledge involvement of armed forces of Pakistan. The burning of Balochistan is the prime example in this regard.

11. Preparations for Chemical and Biological warfare
NSP reveal a mind boggling threat of possible use of chemical and biological substances as weapons by terrorists and non-state armed groups which must be dealt with irony hands.

12. Short-Term Measures
It has not mentioned anything immediately relevant to the ‘here and now against the all kinds of terrorist threats and widening of sectarian rift in the country. It should be rectified immediately.

13. Inclusion of Professionals
Establishment of consolidated data bank, pool of researchers and technical experts would bring difference in the overall functioning and effectiveness of the intelligence orbit.

14. Promotion of Culture of Security
Promotion of culture of security is must to deal with the deadly incidents of terrorism throughout the country. In this regard, culture of security traits of Central Independent States (CIS) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) must be followed. Hatcheries of militants can be influenced by empowering local governments. A federal system with trickling-down decision-making powers to lower levels of the society provinces, districts, tehsils and village councils gives a sense of responsibility to the local people who, in turn, own the government’s resolve to counter terrorism effectively.

15. Check on Non-State Actors
Fuelling societal fault lines, the non-traditional threats, as a consequence, have also inspired insurgency of ethnic, political, economic and sectarian in nature, thus confronting the challenges of war by proxy, subversion and worsening law and order situation must also be thoroughly analyzed.

16. Ideal Combination of Offense-Defence
NSP should be ideal combination of offence-defence. The US and European nations counter-terror policy is based on deterrence and preemptive strikes, Pakistan is more reactive than proactive or even preemptive. Sri Lankan model of dialogue of offence-defence against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) should be studies in order to engage in the serious talks with the TTP and Taliban.

17. A Balanced Approach
State counter-terrorism policy should have been killing or capturing terrorists, putting them on trial in special or ordinary courts, and imprisoning them in specially-constructed prisons forever. Such harsh penalties would have definitely discouraged terrorist activities in future. Saudi Arabia’s counter terrorism strategies are a successful experience which needs to be implemented in the country.

18. Economic Opportunity
Availability of economic prosperity would be anti-terror in the days to come. Job generation would be effective to bring back the people from the clutches of enemies of humanity. Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate is an excellent example which brought a drastic change in the life of insurgents in that area. Saudi Arabia provided so many economic incentives and financial assistance to bring back many wandering souls from the clutches of ignorance, intolerance, and isolation to the mainstream of the society.

19. Active Role of CII
Rigorous overhauling in Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) may be effective in order to counter the subversive activities and objectives of the militant groups. In this regard Saudi Arabia anti-terrorism laws and strategies must be studied and followed in letters and spirits.

20. Study of Different Counter-Terrorism Models
Many Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Morocco, and Iraq, and European states, including Norway, Germany, and the United Kingdom have launched deradicalization and rehabilitation programs. The United States, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia are also among the countries that have their own deradicalization programs.

(a) Algerian Model of General Amnesty
Every country tends to adopt the counter terrorism laws and strategies keeping in view its national character, traditions, values and strengthen and weakness. Algerian model of general amnesty for militants who were not involved in major crimes proved a turning point in its struggle against terrorism and violent Islamist movement which turned into civil war. National reconciliation chapter/drive was adopted in a referendum 2005. Majority of the people i.e. 97 percent voted in favour of national reconciliation which was implemented as law on Feb 28, 2006.

(b) Moroccan Model of Equity and Reconciliation Commission
In Morocco the Equity and Reconciliation Commission was formed in 2004 to investigate enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions from 1956, the country’s year of independence, to 1999. It won the heart and souls of the people which achieved grand success.

(c) Yemen Model of the National Dialogue Conference
In order to address its ailing social fabrics, ideological uniformity and political solidarity the Yemeni government adopted a model under the National Dialogue Conference. It included combating terrorism and the problems of displaced/missing people. It also engaged different groups of the extremists in dialogue. Religious dialogue to de-radicalise extremists was also followed.

(d) Malaysian Model of Re-Education and Re- Rehabilitation
The war against terror is a war of ideas as well, which cannot be won solely through killing and arresting terrorists, collecting intelligence or securing borders. The Malaysian model of re-education and rehabilitation is one of the effective tools to cope with the looming threats of terrorism, fanaticism, extremism and sectarianism. Correcting the militants’ political and religious fallacies was rigorously institutionalized. The strategy of rehabilitation was successfully implemented for thorough monitoring of militants after their release. Family members of the detainees play very important role in their rethinking towards religion, society, and law and order. Economic and financial support proved instrumental.

(e) Singapore’s Model of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG)
Singapore announced and implemented a deradicalization program, called the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) in 2003. It was facing internal threats from Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian militant organization accused of the 2002 bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali. Religious counseling was one the main part of the RRG. In group discussions, Muslim clerics try to controvert the harsh views about Islam held by the detained militants. The success of this model under the RRG program is indicated by the fact that many of the detainees, who had been members of the Jemaah Islamiyah, have been released.