ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2024 by a majority vote on Wednesday to strengthen security measures as the South Asian country continues to fight terrorism.
Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control, Talal Chaudhry, moved the bill in the National Assembly to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 [The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024].
The National Assembly suspended its routine agenda to consider a contentious bill, with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq ordering a headcount during the vote.
The tally showed 125 members in favour and 45 against. The session was marked by vocal opposition protests and slogan-chanting.
Representing the opposition, Chairperson of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Gohar Ali Khan criticised the bill, stating it contravened Article 10 of the Constitution and fundamental rights by permitting detention without trial for up to three months, with a possible three-month extension.
He argued that no legislation could be enacted in violation of the Constitution or Supreme Court rulings, highlighting past cases of prolonged detention without due process.
Opposition members warned that the law was open to misuse, while the government defended it as a necessary measure to address the current security situation.
The government says the law would facilitate the use of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs), composed of members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence.
Oil reserves
Separately, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik told the National Assembly that Pakistan had recently awarded oil exploration rights to companies from Kuwait, Turkey, and other nations.
He confirmed the presence of oil reserves, but noted that their precise size could only be determined once exploration work commenced. He added that three major gas fields—reportedly larger than the Sui field—had already been discovered, with exploration underway in Hyderabad.
Malik also highlighted that countries like China and the United States possess advanced technology to swiftly verify the presence of oil and gas.
