Major General Faisal Naseer appointed NACTA coordinator in Pakistan
In Pakistan, Major General Faisal Naseer has been appointed national coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). The decision was approved by the federal government, and the appointment took effect immediately.
As Dawn reports, the relevant notification was issued by the Establishment Division on Friday. Naseer will serve at NACTA on deputation under Section 9(1) of the NACTA Act 2013. His term will be three years, on standard terms and until further orders.
Naseer's previous position
Before the appointment, Naseer had served as director general of counterintelligence since 2022, after being promoted to the rank of major general. The publication notes that the title of this position is often mistakenly associated with heading the counterintelligence wing of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
In fact, according to Dawn, he headed the ISI's internal wing, which deals with internal security and political matters. Due to the nature of this work, the wing often interacts with the country's key centers of power.
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According to a senior NACTA official, the possibility of appointing an experienced military officer or intelligence representative to head the authority had previously been discussed. The source also said that the authority had previously operated without an adequate strategy.
Work of the counterterrorism authority
NACTA was created as a single coordination center for national counterterrorism efforts. At the same time, in Dawn's assessment, the authority did not become the legally envisaged command and coordination center and largely operated as a policy-development secretariat with limited ability to ensure the implementation of decisions within the country's security and law enforcement structures.
Since its establishment, NACTA has had more than ten national coordinators, most of whom were police representatives. The appointment of an active military officer is a departure from this practice.
