ISLAMABAD: Senators on Friday decried government’s decision to give special powers to the army and civil armed forces in Balochistan, allowing security forces to detain suspects of terrorism for three months.

The lawmakers expressed their concern over the issue a day after the federal cabinet approved an amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997, giving sweeping powers to the security forces for “more effective counterterrorism operations”.

While speaking in the parliament, the senators warned that the powers to detain ‘terror suspects’ or individuals posing threat to the national security, for a period of three months would worsen the situation, a week after multiple coordinated attacks rocked Balochistan.

National Party senator Jan Muhammad Buledi, on a point of public importance, referred to the demands raised in the parliament for holding dialogue with estranged Baloch youth and regretted the outcome of the parliamentary debate was the government move to grant special powers to security forces.

Move may worsen situation in Balochistan, KP, house told

He believed the proposed legislation would empower security personnel to enter anyone’s house without search warrants and make arrests. He feared that the government would “misuse its majority” to get the amendment passed by the parliament.

“The biggest issue of Balochistan is enforced disappearances that has set the entire province on fire,” he said.

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He said families of missing persons were unaware of their whereabouts, while those who could not be questioned by people were being provided a legal cover for the sweeping powers.

Referring to the arrest of his party’s vice president during a raid at his residence, Senator Buledi remarked they already lived in a ‘police state’, as when he asked about the arrest warrants, his head was smashed against the wall. He warned that such laws for Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would only aggravate the crisis, pointing out that the use of force would provide no solution.

Also, Awami National Party chief Aimal Wali Khan rejected the move. He noted even if it was passed by the parliament, the law would be challenged before the Supreme Court for being in conflict with the fundamental rights.

‘Legalising enforced disappearances’

He regretted that the legislation was being brought at a time when the issue of missing persons stood unresolved. “It appears that the law would give legal cover to the phenomenon of enforced disappearances,” he said.

He demanded that the government reverse the decision of granting special powers to the armed forces. Also, opposing the idea of giving special powers to the army and civil armed forces, JUI-F lawmaker Kamran Murtaza regretted that discriminatory treatment was being meted out with the people of Balochistan.

He said the two major decisions, including a ban on public transport in the province during night hours, made after the apex committee meeting in Quetta were worrisome.

“What message will go out to the world when Balochistan has been made a “no-go area”, he said, adding that the only option left with people and their representatives was to record their protest against the decisions.

While speaking on a point of public concern, leader of the opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz criticised the ruling coalition for allegedly not introducing legislation in the parliament based on public interest.

Referring to the bill to regulate and ban public assemblies in Islamabad, he said the government was doing “anti-people and anti-democracy” legislation. “The law passed by the house — a democratic platform — about regulating public assemblies has embarrassed us,” he said.

Senator Faraz said that the PML-N coalition after the ouster of Imran Khan’s government introduced two laws — one banning use of electronic voting machines in the general elections and the other scrapping powers of NAB.

Defence Day resolution

Also, the house adopted a resolution moved by PPP senator Poonjo Bheel to mark the Defence Day of Pakistan.

“On this special day, the Senate of Pakistan and the whole nation stands united with the armed forces with utmost discipline and unwavering faith to make this country strong.

“Our soldiers are our great asset as they not only offer their precious lives fighting in battlefields but also remain prepared to undertake the responsibility of working as a cohesive force in every challenging situation,” the resolution read.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2024