The Senate has passed the passed the Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025 despite the resistance shown by the opposition.
According to details surfaced on Tuesday, the law will be effective following the approval of the president. The APP told that Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Muhammad Tallal Badar moved the Bill further to amend the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997 [The Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025] in the House.
Senate passes Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2025 amid opposition uproar.
— SAMAA TV (@SAMAATV) August 19, 2025
Amendments proposed by JUI-F’s Kamran Murtaza were rejected, and the bill was approved clause by clause. #SamaaTV pic.twitter.com/y0YlEMYt7e
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Senator Sherry Rehman had declared the bill vital to end menace of terrorism and curb crimes like forced disappearances.
Tarar said: "The country is facing the terror wave. The citizens have been killed on the basis of their Punjabi ethnicity. The politics will continue to happen but Pakistan should be given priority."
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have opposed the bill. Barrister Ali Zafar said: "The SHO can make wrong use of power and arrest anybody. Anti-terrorism bill should not work against the democratic principles," he said.
