Rationale and Legislative Purpose
The Anti-Terrorism (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2026 has been introduced against the backdrop of increasing incidents of terrorism and the consequent threats in Punjab Pakistan. The intimidation and security risks faced by judges, Public Prosecutors, investigators, witnesses and other persons involved in terrorism-related proceedings have highlighted the need to strengthen the existing legal framework governing the trial, inquiry and other judicial proceedings of offences involving heightened security concerns.
The existing provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 do not comprehensively provide mechanisms for conducting judicial proceedings in a manner that adequately addresses cases involving extraordinary security risks. The Anti-Terrorism (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2026 therefore seeks to establish a mechanism through which Anti-Terrorism Courts may conduct protected and non-identifiable trials, inquiries and other judicial proceedings, including through secure technological means. The underlying objective is to ensure the safety and security of persons participating in terrorism-related proceedings while maintaining the integrity of the judicial process.
In essence, the framework introduced by the Anti-Terrorism (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2026 represents a legislative response to the security challenges associated with terrorism-related litigation by providing enhanced protection for judicial officers and counsels, prosecutors, investigators, witnesses and other participants, while enabling the courts to make use of modern technological measures for the secure conduct of proceedings.
