Pakistan considering new anti-terror law

The Pakistani government is considering a law that would overhaul terrorism investigations and prosecutions, Cabinet officials said. The legislation, which is before the country's National Assembly and Senate, would regulate everything from data-mining and surveillance to courtroom procedures, the Express Tribune newspaper reported. "The proposed bill provides for collecting evidence by means of modern techniques and devices to prevent and effectively deal with scheduled offenses, to regulate the powers of the law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and to prevent law enforcement and intelligence agencies from using their powers arbitrarily," an official statement issued after the Cabinet meeting said. Other legislation proposed by the Cabinet includes a strengthening of the country's ability to freeze or seize terrorists' assets, the newspaper reported.