After passage, Anti-Terrorism Amendment Bill, 2024 will allow govt to issue order for preventive detention of any person on suspicion of threatening national security or defence, and target killing as well as kidnapping.
ISLAMABAD - The treasury benches in Friday’s National Assembly proceedings introduced “The Anti-Terrorism Amendment Bill, 2024” that seeks to provide Law Enforcement Agencies with the legal backing to conduct more effective operations against terrorism in the country.
The bill, after becoming Act of parliament, could facilitate the use of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs), comprising members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence. According to the copy of the bill available with this scribe, “The government or, where the provisions of section-4 have been invoked, the armed forces or civil armed forces, as the case may be, 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”.
A clause of the bill, introduced in yesterday’s sitting, says “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.”
It further says, “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 a police officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police, intelligence agencies, civil armed forces, armed forces and other law enforcing agencies.”
The statement of objects and reasons of the bill say, “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, it says, was designed to empower law enforcement agencies to pre-emptively address security threats by detaining suspects for a period not exceeding three months, thereby allowing for thorough 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.
According to the bill, “It would facilitate the use of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITs), comprising members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence.”
Later, the house was informed that a transshipment policy is being drafted to promote Pakistan’s role in regional and international trade.
Minister for Maritime Affairs, Qaiser Ahmad Shaikh told the House during the Question Hour that this policy will provide clear guidelines and incentives for transshipment activities.
He said it will also streamline transshipment operations at Pakistani ports resulting in economic growth and job opportunities.
Parliamentary Secretary for Industries and Production, Shahid Usman told the House that a new policy of Mobile Device Manufacturing and Export is being framed to boost exports of locally manufactured mobile phones.
At the outset, the House offered fateha for those martyred in recent acts of terrorism in the country. The house saw thin presence of lawmakers from both treasury and opposition sides throughout the proceedings.