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Amnesty International has urged Pakistan’s government to withdraw a proposed amendment to its Anti-Terrorism Act, warning that the legislation could legitimise arbitrary detention and further erode civil liberties.
In an open letter to the Minister of Law and Justice, Amnesty said the Anti-Terrorism Act Amendment Bill 2024, presented in the National Assembly on 1 November by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, would expand the powers of civilian and military forces to detain individuals without charge.
The proposed law seeks to revive provisions for “preventive detention” — measures that expired in 2016 under a sunset clause — allowing the military, police, and paramilitary units to hold suspects for up to three months without trial. Amnesty warned that such broad powers risk violating Pakistan’s commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
“The amendment Bill does not comply with international human rights law and standards,” the organisation said. “It would grant sweeping discretionary powers to armed forces and civil armed forces to subject individuals to arbitrary detention in the name of public order and national security.”
The rights body raised particular concern over the role of the military in law enforcement, stressing that when armed forces are deployed domestically, they must remain under civilian command and adhere to international policing standards.
Amnesty also criticised the lack of adequate safeguards for detainees. While Pakistan’s constitution requires reasons for detention to be provided within 15 days, authorities may withhold this information if they deem disclosure against the “public interest.” Amnesty said this discretion contravenes protections under the ICCPR.
The intervention comes shortly after Pakistan’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Committee, which expressed concern about the disproportionate impact of counter-terrorism laws on ethnic minorities, activists, journalists and political opposition figures.
Amnesty warned that the expanded detention powers could be used to target peaceful movements and opposition groups, citing previous crackdowns on Baloch and Pashtun activists as well as workers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
The watchdog further criticised the government for introducing the Bill without consultation with civil society, describing it as part of a trend of “rushed” legislation that sidelines debate on human rights.
Amnesty called on the Ministry of Law and Justice to immediately withdraw the amendment and instead pursue comprehensive reform of Pakistan’s anti-terrorism framework “to ensure compliance with international human rights law and standards.”
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