The National Assembly has passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, extending a critical provision of the Anti-Terrorism Act for three years, despite strong resistance from opposition parties.

With 125 votes in favour and 59 against, the bill revives Section 11-EEE, first introduced in 2014 but lapsed in 2016, granting the government and law enforcement agencies enhanced powers to combat terrorism.

Key features of amendment

Under the new legislation, the government can:

Authorise pre-trial arrests of suspects in cases of serious national security threats.
Empower joint investigation teams (JITs) for more comprehensive inquiries.
Allow armed forces and civilian institutions to detain suspects legally.
Implement detention for up to three months, extendable by another three months under judicial oversight.

The Interior Ministry said the measure is aimed at preventing terrorist activities and strengthening security, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed the timely arrest of dangerous individuals will help thwart potential attacks.

"The amendment will enable law enforcement agencies to take effective action," he maintained.

Heated debate in assembly

Opposition lawmakers, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, condemned the bill, with the former calling it unconstitutional and a violation of Article 10 of the Constitution, which safeguards citizens’ rights against arbitrary detention.

“Any person can be kept under house arrest for six months. Such laws make every citizen a born criminal,” said Maulana Fazlur Rehman, accusing the government of legislating under external pressure. "If an institution arrests someone, that individual has to prove he is innocent."

Barrister Gohar said as per the Supreme Court, no law could be made against the Constitution, warning that the law could be misused, allowing authorities to detain individuals without sufficient cause.

"Section 11 is being amended to include the word 'government'. Bringing in such laws is a violation of human rights," he stressed.

Govt's defence

Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar rejected the opposition’s claims, arguing that the Constitution permits 90-day detention under certain circumstances and that the amendment includes a full judicial review mechanism.

“The law is clear -- any arrested person must be produced before a court within 24 hours. This amendment is well within constitutional limits,” he said.