On 31 August 2026, the Punjab Assembly passed the Anti-Terrorism (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing a mechanism to designate certain terrorism proceedings as “special security cases”. Under the amendment, a government-designated senior official may classify cases as requiring special security measures, after which the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court would assign them to an Anti-Terrorism Court judge. The government has argued that these measures are intended to protect judges, prosecutors and witnesses from intimidation and security threats.
The amendment would allow significant confidentiality measures, including withholding the identities of judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers, police officers and witnesses, using codes to identify witnesses, and holding proceedings at secure locations or via video link. This level of secrecy could make it more difficult for defendants to challenge judicial impartiality or fully scrutinise the evidence against them. Opposition legislators objected to the bill and walked out during its passage.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan warned that the provisions could create opportunities for abuse of state power, while the Lahore High Court Bar Association raised concerns about due process, judicial independence and transparency. These concerns are particularly relevant for civic and political actors given the potential for broadly applied anti-terrorism powers to affect dissent and protest. If applied without adequate safeguards and oversight, the provisions could reduce scrutiny of terrorism-related proceedings and have a chilling effect on civic participation.