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News Topical, Digital Desk : President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2025. With this it has taken the form of a law. However, people have expressed concern about the possibility of its misuse.
The bill, passed by the National Assembly and Senate earlier this month, reinstates expired provisions of the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act. It gives central authorities and the armed forces the power to detain a person for up to three months without charge if they suspect him or her of threatening "national security" or “public security.”
Human rights organizations expressed concern
The government has defended the law, but human rights groups and opposition leaders argue it legalises arbitrary detention and risks stifling dissent.
Analysts say Pakistan's counterterrorism laws have often been used to suppress political activists, student groups, journalists and minority voices. The broad definition of terrorism under the ATA, which includes acts that "spread fear" or damage property, has blurred the line between genuine threats and political opposition.
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