Pakistan's Controversial Detention Law In Balochistan, What It Means

The Balochistan Assembly, on June 4, passed the Counter-Terrorism (Balochistan Amendment) Act 2025, a new law that gives sweeping powers to security forces operating in the province. The legislation has been met with strong criticism from rights groups, legal experts, and civil society, who warn it could further fuel repression and unrest in the region.

What Does The Law Say?

The legislation allows military and intelligence agencies, including the Pakistan Army and ISI, to detain individuals for up to 90 days without filing any formal charges or presenting them in court. This can be done purely on the basis of suspicion, with no requirement for judicial oversight.

Joint Investigation Teams (JITs), composed of police and intelligence operatives, have been handed expanded authority to issue detention orders, conduct ideological profiling, and carry out searches and seizures without prior judicial approval. Military personnel will now also have a formal role in civilian oversight panels.

Why Is It controversial?

Critics warn the law blurs the line between civil policing and military operations, paving the way for mass surveillance and state repression, particularly targeting the ethnic Baloch population.

Human rights organisations, including Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and local watchdogs, have slammed the legislation, calling it a clear violation of constitutional protections and international law, particularly Article 10 of Pakistan's Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The Baloch Context

Enforced disappearances have haunted Balochistan for decades. Numerous families continue to search for missing loved ones, some unaccounted for after 15 to 20 years, allegedly abducted by state forces.

Activists argue that this new law effectively legitimises these practices, turning Balochistan into what they describe as a "legalised detention zone."

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a civil rights group, issued a sharp statement against the law, calling it a step toward the militarisation of civilian life.

"Such provisions constitute a grave violation of fundamental rights, including personal liberty, due process, and protection from arbitrary detention," the BYC said.

"This echoes the collective punishment tactics seen in some of the darkest chapters of modern history, including Nazi concentration camps and the internment of Uyghur Muslims in China," the group added.

What The Pakistan Government Says

The government has defended the law, arguing that it is necessary to strengthen counter-terrorism operations. A provincial spokesperson stated that the bill targets only those involved in anti-state activities and that law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear.

The law comes at a time of heightened tensions in Balochistan, where separatist insurgency, political alienation, and military crackdowns have fuelled long-standing unrest.