ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Senate, the upper house of Parliament, on Tuesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2025, aimed at strengthening the country’s legal framework to effectively counter terrorism.
The legislation, passed by the National Assembly last week, introduces wider powers for security agencies to counter terrorist activities.
Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control, Muhammad Tallal Badar, presented the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeking further amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, before the House.
According to the Bill’s statement of objects and reasons, the prevailing security challenges necessitate a stronger legislative response beyond the scope of the current legal framework.
The amendments aim to empower the government, armed forces, and civil armed forces with the necessary authority to detain individuals who pose a significant threat to national security.
This provision would allow for the preventive detention of suspects based on credible information or reasonable suspicion, thereby disrupting terrorist plots before they can be executed.
This will also provide Law Enforcement Agencies with the legal backing to conduct more effective operations against terrorism.
It would facilitate the use of Joint Interrogation Teams (JTIs), composed of members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence.
Responding to various points raised by lawmakers in the Senate, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar stated that the country is currently grappling with the threat of terrorism, and the amendments proposed by Syed Naveed Qamar have already been incorporated to strengthen the bill’s effectiveness. He noted that the legislation has successfully passed judicial scrutiny.
Speaking on the matter, Senator Irfan Siddiqui stressed the need for a firm stance against terrorism. “We cannot afford leniency toward terrorists,” he said.
“We do not want to see extremists moving freely while innocent citizens are slaughtered across provinces—whether on passenger trains like the Jaffar Express or in targeted attacks. Such violence undermines our federation and erodes public trust in the state.”
He urged lawmakers to view anti-terrorism legislation in its proper spirit, as we have lost nearly 100,000 lives to the menace of terrorism.
“We must either surrender to militants or legislate to resist them. Such laws can prevent crime and also curb forced disappearances and arbitrary detentions,” he said.
Senator Siddiqui asked all parties to take anti-terrorism legislation in good faith rather than perceiving it as a tool against political opponents.
He said that the government and opposition must ensure transparent communication with the public and media regarding legislative measures.
