ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: President Gen Pervez Musharraf accorded assent on Wednesday to the bill amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The bill was passed by the National Assembly on Oct 18 and by the Upper House of Parliament on Dec 9.

The amendments were introduced to take cognizance of terrorist acts such as bomb blasts, firing and use of explosives in mosques, Imambargahs, churches and other places of worship and court premises.

It enhances both minimum and maximum punishment for acts of terrorism, limits the adjournment of cases and provides for appeals to be decided by special benches in high courts consisting of not less than two judges. The federal government is provided the power to transfer cases from a court in one province to another. -APP