12
Amendment of section 19, Act XXVII of 1997
Act: Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 1999
Section Provisions
ORDINANCE IV OF 1999 ORDINANCE IV OF 1999 ANTI-TERRORISM (AMENDMENT), ORDINANCE, 1999 An Ordinance to amend the Anti-Terrorism, Act, 1997 [Gazette of Pakistan, Extraordinary, Part I, 27th April, 1999] No.F.2(1)/99-Pub., dated 27-4-1999.--The following Ordinance made b~ the President is hereby published for general information: 12. Amendment of section 19, Act XXVII of 1997.--In the said Act, in section 19.-- (i) for subsection (10), the following shall be substituted, namely:-- "(10) any accused person may be tried in his absence if, the Anti- Terrorism Court after such inquiry as it deems fit, is satisfied that such absence is deliberate and brought about with a view to impeding the course of justice: Provided that the accused person shall not be tried under this subsection unless a proclamation has been published in respect of him in at least three national daily newspapers out of which one shall be in the urdu language requiring him to appear at a specified place within seven days failing which action may also be taken against him under section 88 of the Code: Provided further that the Court-shall proceed with the trial after taking the necessary steps to appoint an Advocate at the expense of the State to defend the accused person who is not before the Court. Explanation.--An accused who is tried in his absence under this subsection shall be deemed not to have admitted the commission of any offence for which he has been charged."; and (ii) after subsection (11), the following new subsection shall be inserted, namely:-- "(11-A) Nothing contained in subsection (10) or subsection (11) shall be construed to deny the accused the right to consult or be defended by a legal practitioner of his own choice."