Anti-terror bill moved in NA: LEAs, agencies could detain suspects for 3 months

ISLAMABAD: The government, Friday, introduced, “The Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024” in the National Assembly to allow the law enforcement and intelligences agencies to detain any suspicious person for three months.

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced the bill in the house. The speaker referred the bill to concerned Standing Committee of the house for further deliberation.

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According to clause 2 of the bill, the amendment in the Anti-Terrorism Act I997; (a) for sub-section (l), the following shall be substituted, namely:- “(1) The Government or, where the provisions of section 4 have been invoked, the armed forces or civil armed forces, as the case maybe, subject to the specific or general order of the Government in this regard, for a period not exceeding three months and after recording reasons thereof, issue order for the preventive detention of any person who has been concerned in any offence under this Act relating to the security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, or public order relating to target killing, kidnapping for ransom, and extortion, Bhatta, or the maintenance of supplies or services, or against whom a reasonable complaint has been made or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists of his having been so concerned for purpose of inquiry:

Provided that the detention of such person, including detention for further period after three months, shall be subject to the provision of Article 10 of the Constitution.“

(b) “Provided that where the detention order has been issued by the armed forces or civil armed forces under sub-section (1), the inquiry shall be conducted by the JIT comprising of a police officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police, Intelligence agencies, civil armed forces, armed forces and other law enforcing agencies.”; and

(c) “(2A) The provisions of subjection (1) and (2) shall remain in force for a period of two years from the commencement of the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2024 (of2024).”

According to objects and reasons of the bill, “the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 was amended in 2014, providing the Government and authorized Armed Forces/Civil Armed Forces with the authority to conduct preventive detention of individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities.

This provision was designed to empower law enforcement agencies to preemptively address security threat by detaining suspects for a period not exceeding three months, thereby allowing for through three months, thereby by allowing for through inquiries and preventing potential terrorist acts.

However, this amendment was subject to a sunset clause, limiting its validity to a period of two years, which was expired in 2016.“

The bill further described, “Further, the current security, situation requires a robust response that goes beyond the existing legal framework. This provision would allow for the 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 (JIT’s), composed of means from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence.“

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024