By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: The cabinet meets today (Wednesday) with main agenda of giving approval to setting up of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), the first civilian institution to handle the threats of terrorism in the country.
The NACTA will be headed by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Interior Minister Rehman Malik will be it’s vice chairman. The meeting may be called a farewell meeting of the cabinet, as there was strong likelihood that it would be dissolved and a new cabinet will be formed by the time its next meeting is due. Sources said the prime minister is expected to thank all the cabinet members for their cooperation as part of the cabinet.
According to sources, the Ministry of Interior is all set to get approval of the cabinet for the formation of NACTA, which will act as the ‘think tank’ to formulate strategies against terrorism, extremism and radicalism.
Earlier there was a proposal that interior minister will head the NACTA but the Punjab Government had raised serious reservations over placement of NACTA under the control of the Federal Interior Ministry and suggested that it should function under the direct control of the prime minister with little interference of Interior Ministry in its operations. Sources said the board of governors of the NATCA will include ministers of important ministries like of Defence Ministry and the chief ministers of all the four provinces will also be members of the Authority besides senior officials of all the prime secret agencies of the country as its members. Sources said Zafarullah Khan, who was officiating as DG currently will act as the coordinator of the NACTA. NACTA was mandated to devise a counter-terrorism strategy that should address short, medium and long-term goals and devise action against terrorism, extremism and radicalism.
Sources said the experts and scholars will also be included in the NACTA as a think tank.
Sources said after getting approval of the cabinet, it would be presented in the parliament for legislation. Sources said another important item on the agenda of the meeting is amendment in ICT Zoning Regulations 1992 (Zone-III) of the Islamabad Capital Territory and through the amendment the government is giving permission for housing in Bara Kahu and Kurri village. In the previous cabinet meeting, a committee was formed under law Minister Dr Babar Awan and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to settle the issue.
The Ministry of Industries and Production has sought approval of the cabinet in principle to start negotiations on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Heavy Mechanical Complex through Ministry of Industries and Production and Ministry of Industries and Commerce of Sri Lanka.
The Interior Ministry moved a summary for the cabinet’s approval of the signing of agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal matters between Pakistan and Algeria. The Planning and Development division sought the ex-post facto approval of the cabinet for signing and ratification of MoU between Board of Investment of Pakistan and General Authority for free zones and investments of Egypt.
The Board of Investment seeks permission of the cabinet for collaboration with investment promotion agencies around the world and initiation of negotiations on MOU on investment corporation with Jordan Investment Board. The cabinet will also take up decision taken by ECC of the cabinet in its meeting held on January 25 and February 1.
Source: The News
Date:2/9/2011
