NAP: Path forward |
PAKISTAN’S National Action Plan (NAP) against terrorism was conceived in the aftermath of the horrific Army Public School attack in Peshawar in December 2014, a tragedy that shook the nation’s conscience and exposed the existential threat posed by violent extremism.
Endorsed unanimously by political parties and backed by the military and civil leadership, NAP was envisioned as a comprehensive, whole-of-state framework to dismantle terrorist networks, counter extremist ideologies, and restore the writ of the state. More than a decade later, the plan remains Pakistan’s most important counterterrorism blueprint—yet its implementation has been uneven, selective, and at times symbolic rather than systemic. At its core, Pakistan’s national narrative regarding the National Action Plan is built around the idea of “zero tolerance” for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The narrative rejects the distinction between “good” and “bad” militants, emphasizes the supremacy of the Constitution, and seeks to align internal security with regional peace and economic stability. NAP positions terrorism not merely as a law-and-order issue but as a multidimensional challenge rooted in ideology, governance deficits, socioeconomic inequality, and weak rule of law. In theory, it represents a consensus that the state must reclaim its authority from non-state actors, regulate the use of force, and protect citizens irrespective of sect, ethnicity, or belief. The objectives embedded in the National Action Plan are broad and ambitious. They include dismantling........