Lahore: The Punjab government has drafted the “Punjab Control of Gangsters Act 2025” to deal with threats to social and communal peace, through which the circle around criminals is being further tightened. According to a spokesperson for the Home Department, this act covers not only traditional gangsters but also modern-day crimes like cybercrimes, use of fake documents, displaying weapons on social media, and drug trafficking.
According to the law, the District Intelligence Committee can declare any person a gangster based on reports from the police and other institutions. As a result, the identity card and passport of such persons can be blocked, arms licenses can be canceled, and bank accounts can be frozen. These persons can also be included in the no-fly list to prevent them from traveling abroad.
The act also provides for transparency, under which the aggrieved persons can file a review appeal before the Divisional or Provincial Appellate Committee, and these appeals will be heard by a tribunal headed by a retired District and Sessions Judge.
In case of violation, the accused can be punished with imprisonment for 3 to 5 years and a fine of Rs. 1.5 million, while if convicted again, they can be punished with imprisonment for 7 years and a fine of up to Rs. 2 million. This law is being described as an important step towards social justice in Punjab.
