All counter-terrorism operations are being carried out within the ambit of the NAP. ISPR reiterates

The recent ISPR press release detailing successful sanitization operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in the elimination of 34 Khawarij members belonging to Indian proxy Fitna-ul-Khawarij, is a vital reminder of the persistent and lethal threat facing the nation. Crucially, these counter-terrorism operations are being executed under the firm and abiding framework of the National Action Plan (NAP). The NAP is not merely a policy document; it is the comprehensive, unanimously agreed-upon contract between the state and its citizens to confront and eliminate the roots of militancy.

The genesis of the 20-point NAP in the wake of the devastating 2014, Army Public School (APS) tragedy in Peshawar forged a rare and profound moment of national consensus. The National Action Plan was unanimously accepted as a comprehensive roadmap for counter-terrorism. This strategy was developed with the mutual consensus of the political leadership across the country, including the federal and provincial governments. It was a comprehensive policy aimed at eliminating the operational and ideological roots of militancy.

In 2021, the strategy was refined into a 14-point framework, intelligently dividing the effort into five “KINETIC” (military/law enforcement) and nine “NON-KINETIC” (political/social/economic) areas. This structure acknowledges that while military action is necessary to eliminate operational threats, true victory lies in neutralizing the ideological and structural roots of extremism.

The plan aimed to address issues such as countering militant groups, countering the financing of terrorism, and controlling the spread of extremist content—while also focusing on non-military solutions such as judicial reforms, regulation of madrassas, and efforts at national reconciliation. The NAP is not a partisan policy but a unanimously agreed framework that emerged in the wake of the APS Peshawar tragedy on December 16, 2014. It has the collective consensus of all political parties, civil and military institutions, opposing which is tantamount to deviating from the core tenets of national security. Opposing or weakening it on political grounds risks undermining operations against anti-state elements. The National Action Plan is a consensus framework that reflects not only the commitment of all political parties, civil and military institutions, but also our national resolve to combat terrorism.