ISLAMABAD: The indecisiveness in activating the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta), along with delays plaguing the establishment of the Directorate of Intelligence Security (DIS) is taking a toll on the government’s ability to effectively tackle terrorist threats and deal with the fallout from the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan.

Since 9/11, the National Crisis Management Cell (NCMC) has been coordinating with different government departments, but the interior ministry secretly transferred its authority to Nacta despite opposition from intelligence agencies and former civil servants.

During the 2007 Swat operation and the 2009 South Waziristan offensive, the NCMC maintained strategic coordination between the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency, the army, Pakistan Air Force and Joint Staff Headquarters.

It was also, in conjunction with the Provincial Crisis Management Cells, charged with monitoring internally displaced persons (IDPs) until they could return to their homes. But in the current Zarb-i-Azb operation responsibility for looking after IDPs has been given to the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions.

In addition, Nacta is nowhere to be seen despite a deadly terrorist attack on the Islamabad district courts in March, the storming of parliament by Sikh protesters in May and the audacious attack on Karachi airport earlier this month.

Sources in the interior ministry claim that intelligence agencies are not sharing information with the NCMC as they did in the past, ostensibly because it has been taken over by Nacta. The agencies had suggested that the DIS be established under the leadership of former army, intelligence and police officers. But this matter has been in cold storage since February this year.

Instead, in March, Interior Secretary Shahid Khan forwarded a summary to the Establishment Division for the grant of leave prior to retirement of retired Wing Commander Tariq A. Lodhi, who headed the NCMC. However, in the second half of the summary, it was proposed that NCMC may be merged with the DIS and until then, the Nacta member may hold the charge of director general NCMC.

Then-Establishment Secretary Shahid Rashid, however, suggested that the interior ministry should “initiate a separate proposal, in consultation with stakeholders”.

Sources said Nacta’s letterhead was being used for official NCMC correspondence and NCMC staff had been directed to route their communications through Nacta.

Officials fear that a lack of cooperation between intelligence agencies and Nacta could lead to serious miscommunication in the wake of terrorist threats to major cities, which could have major consequences for coordination between the various agencies and the federal government.

One of the reasons why agencies don’t seem to trust Nacta is the appointment of junior or inexperienced officials at the senior level. The Nacta Act provides for a national coordinator in grade 22, but the incumbent Nacta head, Khawaja Amir, is a grade 20 officer. Similarly, the deputy national coordinator should be a grade 20 officer, but the incumbent Akbar Nasir Khan is a grade 18 officer from the Police Service of Pakistan.

Some of Nacta’s directors include Fazal-i-Majid, a systems analyst from the Library Department; Ubaidullah Farooq, who landed at Nacta by accident after his ministry was devolved under the 18th Amendment; and Rabia Yasmin, an employee of the Associated Press of Pakistan.

Insiders say that these directors were previously in grades 16 and 17, but through connections in the previous and incumbent regime, they had been brought to Nacta on grade 19 positions.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2014