National Assembly Tuesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2024 by a majority vote amid strong opposition protests.
The session, chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, saw opposition lawmakers opposing the bill, raising slogans, and staging protests during its passage.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said such laws effectively treat every citizen as a criminal from birth, allowing institutions to arrest anyone, with the burden of proof placed on the accused. He said flawed legislation should not be set as a precedent and noted that terrorism is a global issue, not confined to Pakistan.
PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan also opposed the bill, arguing that no law contrary to the Constitution could be passed. He said the bill violated Article 10 of the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s ruling against legislation contrary to fundamental rights.
Barrister Gohar added that changes to Section 11 would insert the word “government,” enabling authorities to detain a person for three months, with the option to extend detention for another three months, calling it a violation of human rights.
