The Erosion of Judicial Transparency in Pakistan’s Punjab Province

• The Punjab Provincial Assembly has approved amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, allowing for the concealment of identities of judges, prosecutors, witnesses, and even defense lawyers in "special security cases."
• Proceedings may involve voice alteration and secure electronic links, with a confidential "designated authority" overseeing critical aspects of the trial.
• The legislation raises significant concerns about the right to a fair trial and the state’s potential to use secrecy to shield power rather than protect justice.

Human Rights Concerns

• UN mechanisms have repeatedly criticized Pakistan’s use of national security laws to target journalists, political opponents, and human rights defenders.
• Reports from 2024 to 2026 highlight ongoing issues including arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances.
• Human Rights Watch reported approximately 689 cases filed under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act between January and August 2025, many targeting media personnel.

Transnational Repression and Precedent

• Pakistan has intensified efforts to silence dissent abroad; in 2026, four prominent journalists based in the UK and US were sentenced in absentia to multiple life terms.
• Freedom House has identified these actions as part of an "intensifying campaign of transnational repression."
• While the state cites security concerns—such as the 2025 Pahalgam attack—critics argue that fair trial guarantees are fundamental legal restraints that should not be discarded even in the face of violent threats, contrasting the situation with India’s judicial handling of the 2008 Mumbai attacks perpetrator Ajmal Kasab.