RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has prepared the draft of a new law called the “Control of Goonda Act 2025”, aimed at taking strict action against habitual criminals, gangsters, and anti-social elements across the province.
According to the spokesperson of the Punjab Home Department, this law will help identify and monitor such individuals through a proper legal process. The draft defines a “goonda” as someone involved in repeated criminal activities or disturbing public peace.
Who Can Be Declared a Goonda?
A person involved in the following crimes may be declared a goonda under this law:
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Drug dealing
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Gambling
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Extortion
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Cybercrime
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Harassment
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Pretending to be a government officer
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Using fake documents
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Showing weapons on social media
The District Intelligence Committee will have the authority to declare a person a goonda after reviewing reports from police, administration, or intelligence agencies, or after receiving written complaints from the public.
Strict Actions Against Goondas
Once a person is declared a goonda, the following actions can be taken:
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Their CNIC and passport may be blocked
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Their bank accounts may be frozen
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Weapon licenses may be cancelled
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Their digital devices and data can be seized
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Their name may be added to the no-fly list
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They may be banned from visiting public places
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They could be ordered to do community service
The goonda may also be asked to submit a guarantee bond for good behaviour in the future. Authorities will also have the power to use technical surveillance, digital monitoring, and collect biometric data.
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Right to Appeal
The person declared a goonda can file an appeal with the Divisional, Provincial, or Appellate Committees. A tribunal headed by a retired District and Sessions Judge will hear the appeal.
Punishment for Breaking Rules
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Violation of orders by the District Intelligence Committee can lead to 3 to 5 years in jail and a fine of up to Rs. 1.5 million.
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Repeat offenders may face up to 7 years in jail and a fine of up to Rs. 2 million.
Quick Justice
To ensure quick justice, the government will also appoint magistrates under Section 30 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The Home Department says this new law will help improve law and order in the province and protect the public from habitual criminals.
In an other news, The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a case against 10 of its own officials for helping 41 Afghan nationals travel to Saudi Arabia using fake Pakistani passports.
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As per the details, the investigation began after the FIA received a report that an Afghan man named Agha Khan left from Sialkot Airport to Saudi Arabia in May 2023 using a Pakistani passport and did not return.
During the investigation, the team found that at least 41 Afghan nationals had traveled to Saudi Arabia through Sialkot Airport in the same time period, reportedly with the help of FIA staff working there.
The FIA asked the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for records of these 41 passengers, but NADRA said they were not registered in their system.
The Director General of Immigration and Passports also confirmed that his office did not have any records of these people.
Although the passports showed scanned protector registration numbers at the immigration counter, those numbers were later found to be fake.
