Incidents of terrorism and target killing in Karachi have registered a 98 per cent and 97pc drop under the National Action Plan (NAP), according to an Interior Ministry document on NAP implementation dated Aug 31, 2017 acquired by DawnNews.

The document reviews progress made on various areas under NAP, including the Karachi operation, militancy in Punjab, the process of reconciliation in Balochistan, tackling hate speech and proscribed organisations ─ both online and offline, and terror financing.

Here are the main takeaways from the report:

• Terrorists killed: 2,127

• Terrorists arrested: 5,884

• Terror financing: 77 arrests in hawala/hundi cases, Rs1.32 billion recovered. 336 anti-money laundering cases initiated, with 483 arrests made. 32 of 176 Suspicious Transaction Reports converted into cases.

• Acting against proscribed groups: 8,333 people on fourth schedule, 5,023 accounts frozen, Rs150 million frozen, embargo on passports, freezing of bank accounts, ban on financial support and services by financial institutions, embargo on arms licenses

• Steps against religions persecution: data collection in progress, to be verified for further action

• Countering hate speech, extremist material: 1,353 cases registered, 2,528 arrests, 70 shops sealed

• Dismantling communication networks of terrorists: 98.3m SIMs blocked, biometric verification system in place

• Measures against abuse of internet, social media: Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act 2015 passed, 937 URLs and 10 websites of proscribed organisations blocked by MoIT

• Ban on glorification of terrorism in media: Implementation of ban on electronic media of activists of proscribed organisations, violations instantly reported to concerned quarters and action taken

• Registration, regulation of madressahs: two separate registration and data forms for madressahs developed, committees formed for grant of equivalence degree awarding status to wafaqs

• Militancy in Punjab: visible improvement in Punjab law and order

• Karachi operation: signficant decline in terrorism, crime and improvement in law and order; target killing down 97pc, murder down 87pc, terrorism down 98pc, robberies down 52pc, 33,378 weapons recovered

• Balochistan reconciliation: surrender and reconciliation and rehabilitation of ferraris, outlaws in progress

• Afghan refugees: cabinet approves repatriation and management policy, POR cards valid upto Dec 31, 2017, visa forms developed, tripartite agreement for voluntary repatriation extended by one year, SAFRON ministry with NADRA finalises operational plan for documentation of unregistered refugees, draft National Refugee Law developed and shared with stakeholders

The report also shows that there has been a significant decline in incidents of sectarian terrorism, with sectarian attacks falling from a peak of 185 in 2012 to two attacks in 2017.

Renewed focus on NAP?

The military appears to have a renewed focus on NAP with the launch of Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad across the country following a spate of terror attacks earlier this year.

Radd-ul-Fasaad — which translates roughly to 'elimination of discord' — is aimed towards indiscriminately eliminating the "residual/latent threat of terrorism", consolidating the gains made in other military operations, and further ensuring the security of Pakistan's borders, the Inter-Services Public Relations had said.

The military operation is intended to be a continuation of NAP, which was widely criticised for its apparently half-hearted implementation.

NAP had been formulated after the devastating attack on Army Public School Peshawar in December 2014.

As part of the plan, military courts were established to fast-track terrorism cases. Intelligence-based operations across the country were initiated to disrupt and destroy terror networks in urban and rural areas. The plan had also laid an emphasis on curtailing terror financing.

NAP had also promised to take action against seminaries involved in militancy, but the government had dithered on bringing them under control, apparently for fear of backlash from religious parties as well as militants.

The plan further envisaged countering hate speech and extremist material through the powers vested in the provincial police and other authorities. Pemra and other regulatory authorities were tasked with checking and banning glorification of terrorism and militant groups through print and electronic media. The drafting of the Electronic Media Code of Conduct was also a positive step.

The provinces were further instructed under NAP to raise a counter-terrorism force under a dedicated command structure.