The Punjab Strategic Coordination Act, 2014 (Act No. XXV of 2014)

Updated: Sunday January 18, 2015/AlAhad Rabi' Awwal 28, 1436/Ravivara Pausa 28, 1936, at 12:57:09 PM

[1][1] The Punjab Strategic Coordination Act, 2014

(Act XXV of 2014)

[10 November 2014]

An Act to establish the Provincial Security Council and Punjab Strategic Coordination Board.

Whereas it is expedient to establish the institutional mechanism to take effective measures to counter terrorism; to formulate security and counter terrorism policy; and to deal with ancillary matters;

It is enacted as follows:---

1. Short title, extent and commencement.– (1) This Act shall be cited as the Punjab Strategic Coordination Act, 2014.

(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.

(3) It shall come into force with effect from 7 September 2014.

2. Definitions.– In this Act:---

(a) “Board” means the Provincial Strategic Coordination Board;

(b) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Council;

(d) “Director General” means the Director General of the Board;

(e) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; and

(f) “organization” means any statutory, non-statutory, autonomous or semi-autonomous organization of the Government.

3. Provincial Security Council.– (1) There shall be a Provincial Security Council consisting of the following:---

(a) Chief Minister; Chairperson

(b) Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs; Member

Punjab to be nominated by the Government;

(d) Chief Secretary of the Government; Member

(e) Secretary to the Government, Home Department; Member

(f) Provincial Police Officer, Punjab; Member

(g) three persons to be nominated by the Government Members

each for a term of two years; and

(h) Director General. Member/Secretary

(2) The Council may co-opt any other person for a meeting of the Council.

(3) The Council shall perform the following functions:---

(a) to approve a provincial security and counter terrorism policy;

(b) to supervise coordination with the Federal security and intelligence agencies;

(d) to approve steps to be taken for improvement of security and, law and order; and

(e) to exercise general supervision over working of the Board.

(4) The Council shall meet at least once in a month or whenever it is convened by the Chairperson.

(5) The Council shall determine its own procedure.

4. Provincial Strategic Coordination Board.– (1) The Government shall, by notification, establish a Provincial Strategic Coordination Board.

(2) The Board shall consist of the following:---

(a) Chief Secretary of the Government; Convener

(b) Secretary to the Government, Home Department; Member

Prosecution Department;

(d) Provincial Police Officer, Punjab; Member

(e) Additional Inspector General Member

(Special Branch), Punjab;

(f) Additional Inspector General Member

(Counter Terrorism Department), Punjab;

(g) three persons to be nominated by the Members

Government each for a term of two years; and

(h) Director General. Member/Secretary

(3) Six members of the Board shall constitute the quorum for a meeting of the Board but a Secretary to the Government may be represented in the meeting by an officer of the Department not below the rank of an Additional Secretary.

5. Functions of the Board.– The Board shall:---

(a) assist the Council in the formulation of provincial security and counter terrorism policy;

(b) monitor compliance with the provincial security and counter terrorism policy;

(d) support institutional development and formulation of standard operating procedures;

(e) conduct, promote and coordinate research in relation to its mandate;

(f) publish reports, statistics, research, monographs and other publications;

(g) support de-radicalization through public information;

(h) support evidence led planning;

(i) maintain a database of information;

(j) monitor performance of provincial security and criminal justice agencies;

(k) issue guidance notes; and

(l) report and advise the Council upon matters of security and law and order.

6. Director General.– (1) The administration of the Board shall vest in the Director General.

(2) The Director General shall be an officer of the Government with such experience of the security and justice sector as may be prescribed.

(3) The Director General shall draw such pay and allowances as may be determined by the Government.

7. Directors.– (1) The Board shall have the following five Directors:---

(a) Director Administration and Finance;

(b) Director Research and Analysis;

(d) Director Systems Development; and

(e) Director Monitoring and Coordination.

(2) The Directors shall work under the control and supervision of the Director General.

(3) A Director shall draw such pay and allowances as may be determined by the Government.

8. Staff.– There shall be such number of other officers and staff of the Board as the Government may determine.

9. Power to obtain information.– The Board may obtain such information from any department or organization as it may consider appropriate and the department or organization shall supply such information and in such format as may be called for by the Board.

10. Power to appoint advisors and specialists.– The Board may appoint advisors, consultants and specialists to undertake research and analysis on security related issues.

11. Power to make rules.– The Government may, by notification in official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

12. Repeal.– The Punjab Strategic Coordination Ordinance 2014 (IX of 2014) is hereby repealed.

[1][1]This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 27 October 2014; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 08 November 2014; and, was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 10 November 2014, pages 1695-97.