Islamabad, Nov 1 (PTI) The Pakistan government on Friday tabled a bill in parliament seeking to amend the country’s anti-terrorism laws, aiming to empower the army and paramilitary forces with the authority to detain individuals suspected of terrorism and other serious crimes for up to three months.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi presented the bill with the proposed amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 in the National Assembly.
The amendment aims to empower the armed forces and paramilitary units to arrest and detain suspects linked to offences affecting national security, extortion, targeted killings, and kidnapping.
The proposed legislation specifies that any detention beyond three months will require transparent trial rights under Article 10-A of Pakistan’s constitution.
A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of officials from law enforcement, the armed forces, intelligence agencies, and senior police officers, would oversee the inquiry into the allegations against suspects.
Earlier, the federal cabinet last month approved an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, granting special powers to security forces in Balochistan.
The move comes amidst increasing incidents of terrorism in the country, especially in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces bordering Afghanistan, which is accused by Pakistan of allowing militants to use its soil for cross-border attacks. PTI SH SCY SCY
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