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Anti-Terrorism
Pakistan

Senate Passes Anti-Terrorism Amendment Bill

Opposition warns of curbs on freedoms; govt says safeguards ensured under law
Published: Aug 19, 2025 | 08:54 PM

The Senate on Tuesday passed the Anti-Terrorism Amendment Bill, 2025, amid noisy protests from opposition benches, with critics warning the legislation could undermine personal freedoms and widen the gap between citizens and security agencies.

The bill was presented in the upper house by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry. Lawmakers from opposition parties, including JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Senator Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, strongly objected to several provisions, terming them “barbaric and cruel”.

Senator Qadri said that while no one supported terrorism, the bill risked eroding human dignity. He called for the Council of Islamic Ideology’s (CII) input, arguing that the law should be evaluated through an Islamic perspective.

Maulana Fazl expressed concern that the legislation “treats every Pakistani as a criminal”, citing clauses allowing detention of up to three months with possible extensions. He warned the move could exacerbate grievances in Balochistan, FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where, he said, people were already deprived of justice and access to media and courts.

“The evil of terrorism should not be remedied by creating new victims,” he remarked, cautioning against hasty lawmaking.

Responding to the criticism, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar defended the legislation, noting that the original Anti-Terrorism Act had withstood judicial scrutiny in the past. He said the new bill incorporated constitutional safeguards and was prepared after consultations with the opposition.

Tarar stressed that preventive detention would be limited to 90 days, with all cases subject to review boards comprising High Court and Supreme Court judges. He assured that no arrest would be made on mere suspicion, and detainees lacking evidence would be released after inquiry.

The law minister added that the amendments aimed to curb enforced disappearances by mandating inquiry procedures during protective custody. “The state has the responsibility to protect its citizens and soldiers,” he said, adding that the army’s deployment would require cabinet approval.

Despite opposition objections, the bill was passed with amendments proposed by PPP lawmakers Naveed Qamar and Sherry Rehman, which the government said made the law “more effective and stricter”.

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