Updated: Friday January 08, 2021/AlJumaa Jamada El Oula 25, 1442/Sukravara Pausa 18, 1942, at 01:47:46 AM

The Punjab Tahaffuz-e-Bunyaad-e-Islam Act, 2020

 

An Act to provide for prevention of an objectionable material in books.

 

Preamble It is necessary to make provisions for prevention of objectionable material in books in Province of the Punjab, and to provide for the ancillary matters.

 

Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Province as follows:---


1. Short title, extent and commencement.- (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab Tahaffuz-e-Bunyaad-e-Islam Act, 2020.


(2) It shall extend to whole of the Punjab.

 

(3) It shall come into force at once.


2. Definitions. In this Act:---


(a) “authorized officer” means an officer authorized by the Government under this Act;

 

(b) “book” includes every volume, part or division of a volume, and pamphlet, in any language and every sheet of music, sign, map, chart, or plan separately printed, or reprinted or reproduced, lithographed, or produced in any soft form, disc or any other similar device etc., used for digital or electronic storage, other than a newspaper, magazine, journal, newsletter and the text book defined under the Punjab Curriculum Text Book Board Act, 2015 (VI of 2015);

 

(c) “Department” means Information and Cultural Department of the Government;

 

(d) “DGPR” means the Director General, Public Relations of the Government;

 

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

 

(f) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules;

 

(g) “printing press” means a press and includes all engines, machinery, types, lithographic, implements, utensils and other plant or material, used for the purpose of printing;

 

(h) “publisher” means a person who makes and subscribes a declaration under this Act;

 

(i) “publishing house” means a business concern engaged in preparation, production, sale and distribution of book; and

 

(j) “rules” means the rules made under this Act.

 

3. Restriction on publication of certain material.- No publisher, editor or translator shall print or publish in any book any material which consists of:---

 

(a) photographs or pictures of suicide bombers, terrorists, except as required by law enforcing agencies for the purpose of investigation bodies of victims of terrorist activities, statements and

 

 

 

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(f)        the name or firm of the printer and the name or firm of the publisher;

 

(g)       the date of issue from the press or of the publication;

 

(h)       the number of sheets, leaves or pages;

 

(i)        the size;

 

(j)         the maps included in the book along with source and area;

 

(k)       the first, second or other number of the editions;

 

(l)        the number of copies of which the edition consists;

 

(m)      whether the book, is printed, cyclostyled or lithographed;

 

(n)       the price at which the book is sold to the public;

 

(o)       the name and residence of the proprietor of the copy-right or of any portion of such copy right; and

 

(p)       unique number.

 

(2)        Every publisher of books, shall be bound to provide memoranda of all books, published by him, to the authorized officer, after every three months with the other requisite details, as may be prescribed.

 

(3)        Every importer of books shall be bound to provide memoranda of all books imported in the Province by him, within fifteen days of import of books to the authorized officer.

 

5.         Gratis copies of books.- The publisher on the same day of printing of a book shall provide four copies of every edition of a book, together with all maps, prints or other engraving belonging thereto finished and coloured in the same manner as the best copies of the same, to the authorized officer concerned or to such officers and at such place, as the Government may notify.

 

6.         Disposal of copies.- Copies delivered pursuant to section 5 of this Act shall be disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed.

 

7.         Power of DGPR.- (1) The DGPR shall have the powers to:---

 

            (a)        visit and inspect the premises of the printing presses, offices of the publication houses, book stores, and confiscate any book whether before or after printing including any material thereof;

 

            (b)       inquire into, investigate, assess or ascertain any act or omission, involved in the matter;

 

            (c)        check the record and books of accounts of the publication, on the spot or may require the management to produce the same before its designated official at any of its offices.

(2)        The DGPR may delegate any of his powers to any of the authorized officers.

8.         Regulation of national and foreign books.- (1) Subject to law on copyrights for the time being in force, no person shall, except with the permission of the DGPR, import, print or publish any book or work which is first printed or published in Pakistan or in any foreign country.

            (2)        An application for permission to print or publish a book or work shall be made in such manner and form and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.

            (3)        The DGPR under subsection (1) shall refuse permission to import, print or publish a book or work if the book or work is prejudiced to the national interest, culture, religious and sectarian harmony.

            (4)        The DGPR shall be bound to refer a book presented to him under subjection (1) and (3) to Muttahida Ulema Board on any subject material related to religion.

            (5)        The blessed name of the Last Prophet Muhammad (حضرت سیدنا محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ واٰلہ وسلم ) shall be preceded by the title Khatam-an-Nabiyyin or Khatam-un-Nabiyyin (خاتم النبیین، خاتم النبیین ) (آخری نبی) (the Last Prophet) and shall be followed by only this Arabic text صلی اللہ علیہ واٰلہ وسلم or صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.

            (6)        The blessed name of any of the Prophet (نبی علیہ السلام) shall be followed by (علیہ السلام).

            (7)        The blessed name of any of the wives (ازواج مطہرات رضوان اللہ تعالیٰ علیہم اجمعین) of the Last Prophet Muhammad حضرت سیدنا محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم Ummahat-ul-Momineen (امہات المومنین رضوان اللہ تعالٰی علیہم اجمعین) shall be preceded by the title Umm-ul-Momineen

 

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            (8)        The blessed name of any of the four Khulfa-e-Rashdeen (خلفاء راشدین رضوان اللہ تعالیٰ علیہم اجمعین) shall be preceded by the title Khalifa-e-Rashid (خلیفہ راشد) or Rightly Guided ------------------- (امیرالمومنین) and shall be followed by رضی اللہ عنہ.

            (9)        The blessed name of any of four blessed daughters and any of the three blessed sons (رضوان اللہ تعالیٰ علیہم اجمعین) of the Last Prophet Muhammad (حضرت سیدنا محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ واٰلہ وسلم) shall be followed by (رضی اللہ عنہ) or (رضی اللہ عنہا).

            (10)      The blessed name of any of Ahl-e-Bait, (اہل بیت اطہار رضوان اللہ تعالیٰ علیہم اجمعین) any of blessed grand sons and grand daughters of the Last Prophet (Khatam-an-Nabiyyin خاتم النبیین) (آخری نبی) Muhammad (حضرت سیدنا محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ واٰلہ وسلم) shall be followed by (رضی اللہ عنہ) or (رضی اللہ عنہا).

            (11)      The blessed name of any of the As’haab-e-Rasul (اصحاب رسول رضوان اللہ تعالیٰ علیہم اجمعین) shall be preceded by the title Sahabi-e-Rasul (صحابی رسول) or Sahabia–e-Rasul (صحابیہ رسول) and shall be followed by (رضی اللہ عنہ) or (رضی اللہ عنہا).

            (12)      Any book or work printed or published in Punjab or come from any other province or country into Punjab shall also fulfill the criteria given under subsection (5) to (11) of section 8.

9.         Sale of books.- (1) No seller, book store or publication house shall sell books unless such seller, book store or publication house is registered by the authorized officer concerned in such manner as may be prescribed.

            (2)        No seller, book store or publication house shall keep or offer to sell a book in contravention of this Act or the rules.

10.       Unique registration number.- Every book printed within the Punjab shall bear a unique registration number allotted by an authorized officer in such manner as may be prescribed.

11.       Punishments.- Whoever contravenes the provisions of section 3 except clause (f) thereof shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a terms which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to rupees five hundred thousand.

Explanation.- The offences covered under clause (f) of section 3 shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860) or any other law for the time being in force.

12.       Non-delivery of books.- If a publisher fails to provide gratis copies of a book in contravention of section 5, he shall, on the complaint of the officer to whom the copies should have been delivered or of any person authorized by the officer in this behalf, be punished with fine which shall be not less than ten thousand rupees for each such default and, in addition to such fine, shall pay to the Government such further sum as the Court may determine to be the value of the copies which the printer ought to have delivered.

13.       Recovery of amount payable to Government.- Any sum payable to the Government under this Act shall be deposited in the specific account of the Government within fifteen days of imposition and in case – default, the same may be recoverable as arrears of land revenue.

14.       Cognizance of offence.- No Court inferior to that of Magistrate of the First Class shall take cognizance of or try, an offence punishable under this Act nor shall any Court take cognizance or try any such offence except on a complaint made in writing by the Government or an officer authorized in this behalf by the Government.

15. Power to make rules.- The Government shall, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules within six months of the coming into force of this Act for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

 

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