LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed the Punjab Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026 despite strong opposition from PTI lawmakers, who described the legislation as a threat to fundamental rights and the constitutional right to a fair trial.
The bill was previously blocked from being taken up during Thursday’s session after opposition members objected to its placement on the agenda. It was presented again on Monday with the same proposed amendments.
During a heated debate, Opposition Leader Moin Riaz Qureshi accused the government of using the legislation to strengthen its position and potentially target political opponents. He termed the proposed law “draconian” and alleged that it could be used against PTI leaders and activists.
PTI lawmaker Ahmar Rashid Bhatti described the bill as a “black law”, warning that concealing the identities of judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers and witnesses could undermine transparency and the right to a fair trial.
Another opposition lawmaker, Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan, also warned that the amendments could affect fundamental rights, the law of evidence and the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The opposition particularly objected to provisions allowing the identities of individuals involved in sensitive terrorism cases to remain confidential. They argued that such measures could conflict with Article 10-A of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair trial.
Speaker Defends Legislation
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan ruled that the bill could legally and constitutionally be introduced in the provincial assembly. He cited Article 142 of the Constitution concerning legislative jurisdiction over criminal law.
The speaker defended the legislation by recalling the scale of terrorism Pakistan had faced during the war on terror. He argued that terrorists had sometimes escaped conviction because witnesses and other participants could not be adequately protected.
He also pointed to the use of anonymous or “faceless” judicial mechanisms in some democratic countries when dealing with serious security threats.
Special Security Cases
The amendment seeks to introduce a new framework for cases classified as “Special Security Cases”, where there are security concerns involving judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers, investigators or witnesses.
Under the proposed framework, the identities of judges and prosecutors would not be publicly disclosed, while witnesses could be assigned specific identities.
The bill also provides for the sealing of complete judicial records in such cases and restricts the disclosure of identifying information concerning people involved in the proceedings.
Proceedings could be conducted through video conferencing and electronic links, while audio and video recordings could be made. Voice-modification technology could also be used to protect the identities of witnesses and other participants.
In cases involving serious security threats, proceedings could additionally be held at designated secure locations.
Opposition Walks Out
The opposition moved amendments to the bill, but the government rejected them. Opposition lawmakers then chanted slogans and walked out of the House, saying they did not want to be associated with what they called controversial legislation.
With the opposition absent, the Punjab Assembly proceeded with the vote and passed the Punjab Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026.
