Overview
- The Punjab Assembly approved the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026 on Monday after rejecting all opposition amendments and proceeding with the vote while opposition members were absent.
- Opposition lawmakers staged a walkout during heated debate, saying the law is draconian, risks targeting political opponents and would violate Article 10-A’s guarantee of a fair trial.
- The bill inserts a new mechanism that allows a designated senior official to classify cases as 'special security cases' and to authorize secure locations, video-linked hearings and the concealment or alteration of participants’ identities.
- Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan defended the changes under the Assembly’s Article 142 powers and argued stronger protections are needed given Pakistan’s long struggle with terrorism and past failures in witness protection.
- The session also passed other measures including Food Safety and Punjab Judicial Academy amendments, and the likely next steps are formal assent, implementation rules or judicial review since critics warned the law could harm transparency and appellate oversight.