Pak mulls new security policy to curb terror financing, improve intel-sharing

ISLAMABAD, June 4: Pakistan is working on a new internal security policy aimed at curbing terror financing by integrating criminal databases and improving intelligence- sharing among provinces.
The proposed National Internal Security Policy 2026-30 will be discussed at an “extraordinary meeting” of the National Police Management Board (NPMB) later this month and will incorporate recommendations from all provincial police chiefs.
It will also include inputs from the heads of police in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the Dawn newspaper reported on Thursday.
According to the report, the proposals include the establishment of a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Gilgit-Baltistan, integration of police data at the national level, improved interprovincial intelligence-sharing mechanisms and measures to curb terror financing. The policy envisages a greater role for the National Police Bureau (NPB) in formulating nationwide police reforms and security strategies. The bureau is currently headed by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Usman Anwar.
Speaking to Dawn, Anwar said there was a “serious disconnect” among various civilian law enforcement agencies and stressed the need for a uniform policing mechanism across provinces.
“It is a dire need of the time to establish a uniform mechanism across provinces and collaborate with international and domestic intelligence agencies to fight terrorism and choke terrorist financing,” he said.
Anwar said the upcoming meeting would also discuss functional specialisation, police welfare, transnational crimes, criminal data integration, training requirements, women police networking, interprovincial intelligence-sharing and development of the CTD in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The proposed policy assumes significance against the backdrop of efforts to strengthen internal security amid a surge in militant attacks in several parts of the country.
A retired senior police officer quoted by the newspaper said structural weaknesses had long hampered police performance. (PTI)