NA passes bill to empower LEAs to detain individuals who pose threat to national security

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to allow 90-day preventive detention of individuals who pose a "significant threat to national security".

Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Talal Chauhdry moved the bill in the House calling for amendments to the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997, state-run wire service APP reported.

The bill was passed with majority of votes while amendments proposed by JUI-F member Aliya Kamran were rejected. However, an amendment proposed by PPP member Syed Naveed Qamar was incorporated in the bill.

According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, "the current security situation requires a robust response that goes beyond the existing legal framework."

"The erstwhile amendment of Section 11EEEE of the Act ibid are required to re-inserted 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," it said.

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"This provision would allow for the preventative detention of suspects based on credible information or reasonable suspicion, thereby disrupting terrorist plots before they can be executed." 

The amendment 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 (JITs), composed of members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence," it said.