Islamabad, Oct. 10 -- Amnesty International has criticised Pakistan's Punjab government over its controversial Anti-Terrorism (Punjab Amendment) Act, 2026, warning that the legislation undermines the right to a fair trial and creates conditions for secret judicial proceedings with limited transparency and accountability.

In a public statement, Amnesty stated that the amendment, passed by the Punjab Assembly on August 31, 2026, introduces sweeping secrecy measures that exceed permissible restrictions on public trials under international human rights law.

The law amends Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, by introducing a category of "special security cases" in which proceedings can be conducted at undisclosed secure locations, the ident...