Pakistan opposition to challenge sweeping powers to security forces

The armed forces or civil armed forces will be authorized to detain a person involved in such offences for three months for investigations.

Currently, they can detain a suspect for 30 days.

Rushing through Protection of Pakistan law won't make the country safer. Better policing and trials, witness protection will but new law doesn't address that, said Mustafa Qadri, the Pakistan researcher for Amnesty International.  

The law would give a legal cover to security personnel who are involved in ‘missing person' cases.  

‘Missing person' is a term used for those who have been picked up by security agencies without any proof or trial.  

Such people remain in the custody of security agencies for several months and years.

Some of the lucky ones are eventually released.