KP plans faceless anti-terrorism courts to protect witnesses

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration is planning to establish faceless anti-terrorism courts to strengthen the province’s efforts against terrorism and improve security for individuals involved in prosecuting such cases.

The proposed system is aimed at protecting witnesses, prosecutors and judges, who often face security threats while handling terrorism-related cases.

The plan was shared during an official briefing televised on Sunday, which was also attended by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.

During the briefing, an official said witnesses were often reluctant to appear in terrorism cases because of fears for their safety. To address this challenge, the provincial administration had recently forwarded proposed amendments to establish faceless anti-terrorism courts.

Under the proposed arrangement, the identities of individuals involved in the judicial process would be protected to reduce security risks and encourage witnesses to come forward.

The official also outlined plans to strengthen the operational capacity of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and provincial police.

According to the briefing, the administration intends to allocate Rs70 billion annually to the CTD and police to improve their capabilities and support counterterrorism operations.

The proposed measures are part of broader efforts to strengthen law enforcement and improve the province’s response to growing security challenges.