Pakistan's 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act is being systematically deployed against opposition politicians and human rights defenders, even as United Nations-designated terrorists operate freely, give public speeches, and raise funds across the country, according to a report by Turkey-born journalist Uzay Bulut published in PJ Media. The report highlights Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi as the latest lawmaker named in an anti-terrorism case, adding to a growing list of politicians implicated under legislation critics say has been weaponised for political suppression.

A Pattern Spanning Decades

The report traces the misuse of anti-terror legislation to the turn of the century. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faced charges under the law in 2000, as did General Pervez Musharraf, who had overthrown Sharif in a military coup a year earlier. More recently, former Prime Minister Imran Khan — currently in jail — is also facing terrorism charges. Kashmiri, Pashtun, and Baloch activists have similarly been accused of terrorism in recent years, according to the report.

'Pakistan is home to numerous terror groups. However, anti-terrorism legislation is systematically used in cases involving politicians,' Bulut wrote. Since its enactment, the law has been amended multiple times to expand its definition and broaden the powers of law enforcement — creating, critics argue, a framework flexible enough to ensnare lawyers, politicians, and rights defenders.

Human Rights Lawyers Behind Bars

Among those currently imprisoned are human rights lawyers Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, who have remained in detention since January and are being tried under anti-terrorism legislation. Each has been sentenced to a total of 17 years of imprisonment, with the longest individual sentence being 10 years, according to the report.

UN-Designated Terrorists Operate Openly

In stark contrast, the report notes that individuals designated as terrorists by the United Nations continue to make public appearances and fundraise within Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder and UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has been placed under house arrest or detention on multiple occasions, only to be released by courts citing insufficient evidence. Despite international bounties and designations, Saeed and others have continued to address mass rallies on Pakistani soil.

Pakistan's history with radical groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) further illustrates this dynamic. During protests in 2020 over the republication of Charlie Hebdo cartoons in France, thousands of TLP supporters clashed with police near Islamabad. The government ultimately yielded to TLP's demand for a boycott of French products to end the agitation. Although Pakistan subsequently declared TLP a terrorist organisation, it reversed course after the group called for a march on the capital — releasing hundreds of detained members and lifting the ban, citing the 'larger national interest.'

The 'Good Terrorist, Bad Terrorist' Doctrine

The report identifies two structural problems at the heart of Pakistan's security paradox. The first is an official policy of distinguishing between 'good' and 'bad' terrorists: those who attack Pakistani security forces and civilians are treated as threats, while those who conduct operations against India or advance the military establishment's ideological agenda are reportedly given latitude.

The second, Bulut argues, is a fundamental inversion of civilian authority. 'Pakistan's army — rather than a civilian government — controls state policy. The country does not have an army — the army has a country,' the report states. Behind what it describes as a 'fragile, rotational facade of civilian governance,' the military establishment is said to dictate national policy, using select terror groups as instruments of perceived state interest.

'The tragedy of Pakistan is an army that views peace as a threat to its budget and dissent as a crime against the nation. Hence, many actual terrorists roam freely while human rights lawyers are incarcerated in the country,' Bulut wrote.

Implications Beyond Pakistan's Borders

The dual reality described in the report has ramifications well beyond domestic politics, affecting neighbouring nations and international counterterrorism efforts. With KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi now among those ensnared by anti-terror charges, and credible rights defenders languishing in prison, international pressure on Islamabad over its selective application of security law is likely to intensify.