ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has passed additional amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, granting security agencies the authority to detain any individual for up to three months.
This period can be extended by another three months with the approval of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) if solid evidence is provided.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) criticized the move, calling it a “black law.”
During the session chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, JUI-F lawmaker Aaliya Kamran questioned the urgency behind passing the bill without prior notice.
The opposition challenged the vote count on the 2024 Anti-Terrorism Amendment Bill, prompting the Speaker to order a count.
The results showed a majority of government members supporting the bill, with 125 votes in favor and 45 against. Opposition members protested and chanted slogans as the bill was passed by a large majority.
Earlier, it had been decided to urgently amend the Anti-Terrorism Act, with the Ministry of Interior’s bill added to the agenda.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said that the current security situation is similar to 2012, noting that four major security officers had been martyred in one month.
He emphasized the need for the law to support security forces and claimed it would help address the issue of missing persons.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman argued that such laws have historically labeled every Pakistani citizen as a “born criminal,” shifting the burden of proof onto the accused.
He said past incidents, including arrests leading to executions without fair trials, prove such legislation is dangerous.
JUI-F proposed sending the bill to the Islamic Ideology Council for review, but the government opposed the suggestion.
Only 41 members supported the proposal, leading to its rejection, after which JUI-F walked out in protest.
The bill, which will remain in effect for three years, amends Section 11-EE, allowing the armed forces or civil armed forces to detain individuals for up to three months for offenses such as national security threats, defense matters, law and order issues, kidnapping for ransom, and targeted killings.
The detention period may be extended to six months under Article 10 if supported by solid evidence.
Investigations will be conducted by a JIT comprising an SP-ranked police officer along with members from intelligence, military, and law enforcement agencies.
Amendments proposed by PPP’s Naveed Qamar were also adopted, replacing terms like “reasonable suspicion” and “credible information” with “solid evidence.”
This ensures no one can be detained without substantial proof, and extensions beyond three months will require such evidence.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that Naveed Qamar’s changes had made the bill more balanced, ensuring that detention would be based on evidence rather than suspicion.
Opposition parties, however, denounced the bill as a continuation of post-9/11 legislation introduced under U.S. pressure.
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With the bill’s approval, security forces assisting the civil administration can now detain individuals for three months initially, and for another three months with JIT approval — a power previously held by High Court judges’ review boards.
