Lahore: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has issued a stark warning against the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2024, which proposes to allow the state to detain individuals for up to three months based solely on suspicion, without judicial review. The HRCP argues that this could lead to significant abuses of power under the guise of national security.
According to Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the amendment would grant extensive powers to the armed forces and other state agencies, enabling detentions without civilian or judicial oversight, raising serious concerns about potential human rights violations. The HRCP highlighted several past instances of such powers being misused, including the prolonged detention of environmental and political activists under contentious charges.
The HRCP further criticized the vague criteria set by the amendment for preventive detention, which they claim does not meet the international standards for limiting civil liberties as outlined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The organization has called on the government to reconsider the proposed legislation and ensure that any new laws respect the constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial.