THE ANTITERRORISM ACT, 1997
1[XXVII OF 1997]
An act to provide for the prevention of terrorism, sectarian violence and for speedy trial of heinous
offences;
Whereas it is expedient to provide for the prevention of terrorism, sectarian violence and for
speedy trial of heinous offences and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto;
It is hereby enacted as follows:
1. Short title, extent and commencement. (1) This Act may be called the Antiterrorism Act,
1997.
(2) It extent to the whole of Pakistan.
(3) It shall come in to force at once.
2. Definitions. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,
(a) “armed forces” means the Military, Naval and Air Forces of Pakistan and the Reserves of
such Forces;
(b) “civil armed forces” means the Frontier Constabulary, Frontier Corps, Pakistan Coast
Guards, Pakistan Rangers or any other civil armed force notified by the Federal
Government as such;
(c) “Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898);
2[(d) “child” means a person who at the time of the commission of the offence has not
attained the age of eighteen years;
(e) “court” means an Antiterrorism Court established under section 13;
(f) “explosives” means any bomb, grenade, dynamite, or explosive substance capable of
causing an injury to any person or damage to any property and includes any explosive
substance as defined in the Explosives Act, 1884 (Act IV of 1884);
(g) “firearms” means any or all types and gauges of handguns, rifles and shotguns, whether
automatic,
1 The Antiterrorism Act, 1997 and all Rules, Notifications and Orders issued there under have been adopted in the Northern Areas vide S.R.O No. 496(1) 2000, dated 1172000.
2 Subs. by the Antiterrorism (Amdt.) Ordinance, 2001(39 of 2001), s. 2, for cls. (d) to (h), which was previously ins. by Ord. 13 of 1999, s.3.
*It shall apply to the PATA of the Khyber PakhtunKhwa vide Notification No. 1/75SOS 11/HD/2002 dated 15.12.2002.
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