The Balochistan Assembly passed the Counter-Terrorism (Balochistan Amendment) Act 2025, triggering concerns about human rights violations. Baloch organisations have slammed the law as a violation of Article 10 of Pakistani Constitution.
The legislation allows Pakistani military and intelligence bodies to detain people for up to 90 days solely on suspension. They are not required to charge the detainees and can search premises and seize property without prior judicial approval.
The Chief Minister, @PakSarfrazbugti, and the members of the Balochistan government should be ashamed for hastily passing the Anti-Terrorism Bill, 2025 at the behest of Pakistani military intelligence. They do not represent the interests of the people of Balochistan, but rather… pic.twitter.com/iiw8oUCWhb
— Dr. Tara Chand (@drtchand) June 6, 2025
The Joint Investigation Teams can now issue detention orders and carry out ideological profiling of suspects. The law will also weaken the civilian control on law enforcement, giving military the power to police the society. The military will have more say in the civilian oversight bodies. This is in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Balochistan has already been reeling under enforced disappearances with families complaining about routine abductions by security forces. Some individuals have gone missing for 15 to 20 years. With the new law, these abductions will now get legal backing, sparking widespread fear among people.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee slammed the law as an effort to completely militarise civilian life, comparing the tactics to those of Nazi Germany and modern-day Xinjiang. The group has urged the United Nations and global human rights bodies to pressure Pakistan to repeal the law.
The sentiments were echoed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which warned that the law is a significant threat to fundamental human rights such as liberty, due process and protection against arbitrary arrest. While acknowledging that national security is a legitimate issue, the panel said the law gives sweeping powers of preventive detention and blurs the lines of accountability.
Urging the provincial government to reconsider the law, the human rights panel asked it ensure that the law aligns with Pakistan's constitutional obligations under Article 10.
