Pakistan Enhances Anti-Terrorism Law with Extended Detention Power

Islamabad, Aug 14 (PTI): Pakistan has revised its anti-terrorism legislation to enhance the authority of security forces and military personnel, allowing the detention of "suspicious" individuals for up to three months. The National Assembly approved an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997, specifically modifying Section 11 EEEE related to preventive detention for inquiries.

This authority was first introduced in 2014 to permit preventive detention for those suspected of terrorism-related involvement, but it had a sunset clause that caused it to lapse in 2016. In November 2024, Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Tallal Chaudhry quietly proposed the bill to the National Assembly this time to give military and civil armed forces the power to detain individuals facing terrorism charges for up to three months.

The state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported that the assembly passed the bill after a detailed clause-by-clause review. Meanwhile, the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), opposed the amendment, critiquing it as an infringement of fundamental rights. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called it a violation of basic human rights. "The Supreme Court has said that these laws conflict with fundamental rights," Gohar stated. "You cannot detain anyone globally without just cause."

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar reassured the assembly that the law would be applied selectively. "A clause is being added to ensure there are compelling reasons for arrests," Tarar stated. "The arrested individual must be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours, with an enforcement clause limited to a specified period."

Nevertheless, the PTI and other opposition parties express concerns that this law might be exploited to suppress dissent and opposition in the country.

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