The federal government is expected to approve a proposal for establishing “internment centres” for terror suspects in Balochistan, according to sources familiar with the situation, Express Tribune reported.
Sources indicate that the government has planned to grant special powers to law enforcement agencies, including the military, enabling them to detain terror suspects for three months without an FIR (First Information Report) or court orders.
One of the proposal included the creation of special internment centres to hold terror suspects without court orders. Although the name may vary, these centres would resemble those established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This strategy has been previously implemented in regions like North and South Waziristan, Swat, and other tribal areas. Some centres also conduct de-radicalization and rehabilitation programs aimed at reintegrating militants who have surrendered or been captured back into society.
The federal government had approved special powers for security forces operating in Balochistan on September 6.
Balochistan recently experienced a series of terrorist attacks on August 26 that resulted in the deaths of over 50 individuals, including security personnel. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for these coordinated attacks across 10 districts.
The province has faced ongoing law and order challenges for many years, but this incident marked the deadliest attack in recent times. In response, the federal government and relevant stakeholders reviewed the security landscape and discussed potential actions.
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Similar powers were previously granted under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) to law enforcement in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the 2014 Army Public School attack in Peshawar, with those powers having a two-year expiration. Now, the government aims to introduce similar amendments to the ATA of 1997 for Balochistan.
Internment centres are primarily used in counterterrorism efforts, particularly in areas impacted by militancy and insurgency. They typically detain individuals suspected of involvement in terrorist activities, often captured during military operations or security raids.
