LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Monday passed the controversial Punjab Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026 despite strong objections, loud chanting and a complete walkout by opposition lawmakers.
The session, which saw heated exchanges between government members and the opposition, centred on a debate between Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Opposition Leader Moin Riaz Qureshi over the legal and constitutional implications of the new legislation.
Addressing the House, Speaker Khan issued a ruling confirming that the bill could legally be placed on the agenda, citing Article 142 of the Constitution concerning legislative jurisdiction over criminal law. Defending the move, the speaker shared his personal experiences from the 1990s, recalling how terrorism claimed more than 100,000 lives in Pakistan, including high-profile figures such as retired Col Shuja Khanzada and Captain Mubeen, and led to attacks on shrines of Sufi saints, including that of Hazrat Ali Hajveri (Data Darbar).
He argued that in the past, terrorists often went free due to a lack of witness protection and physical security.
He noted that even democratic nations such as the US had established “faceless” or anonymous courts to deal with extreme terror threats, urging the opposition to propose constructive amendments rather than block the bill.
‘Bill to crush citizens’
However, Mr Qureshi strongly condemned the legislation, labelling it “draconian” and calling it a “bill to crush the citizens of Punjab”.
He accused the government of introducing the amendment to target political rivals, specifically PTI leaders and activists, as he alleged had happened under previous defamation and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws.
He highlighted concerns over a provision under which a Grade-20 designated official would have the authority to advise the chief justice of the Lahore High Court on classifying cases as “special security cases”.
Joining the criticism, opposition member Ahmar Rashid Bhatti read out in the House an opinion column he had written for a daily newspaper, comparing the proposed law with a 1909 British colonial-era act opposed by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
He warned that allowing the identities of judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers and witnesses to be concealed, and their voices altered, would violate Article 10-A of the Constitution, which guarantees the fundamental right to a fair trial.
Following the heated debate, opposition members chanted slogans against the bill and walked out of the hall.
PTI MPA Waqas Mann pointed out a lack of quorum as they exited, but the treasury benches managed to muster enough members to maintain the quorum.
With the opposition absent, their proposed amendments were rejected and the House voted to approve the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026.
Apart from the anti-terrorism bill, the session addressed delays in corruption inquiries against Lahore Development Authority (LDA) officials.
Treasury MPA Uzma Kardar criticised the two-year delay in proceedings under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act, which normally requires completion within 60 days.
In response, Parliamentary Secretary for Housing Sultan Bajwa stated that the case had already been referred to NAB. Speaker Khan questioned how a federal agency such as NAB could take over an inquiry involving provincial funds.
Regarding low attendance by lawmakers, MPA Zulfiqar Ali Shah presented a motion, prompting the speaker to suggest docking the salaries of frequently absent MPAs.
Mr Shah further proposed rewarding MPAs who maintained more than 80pc attendance with a two-month salary bonus.
The Punjab Assembly session was subsequently adjourned until Tuesday (today) at 2pm.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2026
