Definition of Terrorism and its Application in Pakistan

Kamran Adil (PSP)

Conspectus
The latest judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in case of Ghulam
Hussain vs. the State1
is an attempt to interpret the codified definition of „terrorism‟ in Pakistan‟s anti-terrorism law. Before entering into the legalese of the judgment itself, it is imperative to ask this question: Why should the Supreme Court of Pakistan venture to interpret the definition of „terrorism‟? There are two chief reasons that led the Supreme Court to look into the definitional aspects of the terrorism. The first reason is that the criminal justice system in vogue empowers police to control the entry of a victim into the system by allowing him to register or to deny registration of a criminal case.