Authority approves modification to ATA policy, permitting short-term preemptive imprisonment for suspected terrorists
In a significant move, the National Assembly of Pakistan has adopted the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The bill, aimed at enhancing the country's counter-terrorism efforts, includes several key provisions.
Key Provisions of the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024
The bill empowers both military and civil armed forces to detain individuals suspected of terrorism for up to three months. This preventive detention is based on credible information or reasonable suspicion of involvement in terrorism-related activities. Detainees must be presented before a magistrate within 24 hours, and legal recourse is available through federal and provincial review boards composed of Supreme Court and high court judges.
The enforcement of preventive detention in provinces requires approval from the respective provincial governments. The bill also provides legal cover for Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs), which consist of officials from multiple law enforcement and intelligence agencies. This is intended to make counter-terrorism operations more effective by facilitating comprehensive inquiries and intelligence gathering.
Implications of the Bill
The bill aims to strengthen Pakistan's capacity to pre-emptively address security threats. In the context of rising terrorism, as highlighted by the Global Terrorism Index 2025, this is particularly important. However, critics have expressed concerns that the bill could lead to abuses of due-process guarantees under the Constitution.
Political opposition to the bill was also seen, with parties like the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf warning that the legislation could be misused against political critics. The bill represents a significant step in Pakistan's effort to combat terrorism but also raises important questions about the balance between security measures and human rights protections.
Additional Bills Passed
Alongside the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the National Assembly also passed two additional bills: the National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bills were moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry, and Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz, respectively.
The bills were passed through a clause-by-clause reading in the House, with 125 votes in favour and 59 against the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to amend the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997. The bill includes an amendment proposed by PPP member Syed Naveed Qamar, while amendments proposed by JUI-F member Aliya Kamran were rejected.
The bill facilitates the use of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs) composed of members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The erstwhile amendment of Section 11EEEE of the Act ibid, is required to be re-inserted in the bill.
In conclusion, the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, represents a significant step in Pakistan's fight against terrorism. While it aims to strengthen the country's counter-terrorism capabilities, it also raises important questions about the balance between security measures and human rights protections.
The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024, includes provisions for the formation of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs) under the 'policy-and-legislation' category, which fall under the broader context of 'politics'. The bill, when they discuss 'general-news', often raises concerns about potential abuses of due-process guarantees and the balance between security measures and human rights protections. Additionally, the bill was one of the several bills passed in the National Assembly, including the National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill, 2025, under the category of 'government-related' or 'crime-and-justice', depending on the specific focus of discussion.
