Lahore: Taking decisive action against criminal elements, the Punjab government has drafted the “Punjab Control of Gangsters Act 2025”, which aims to bring elements that disrupt social peace under the legal ambit. According to a spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department, through this act, drug dealers, extortionists, people involved in cybercrime, and those who display weapons on social media will be legally declared as gangsters.
Under this act, the District Intelligence Committee will have the authority to declare any person as a gangster based on a report from the police, administration or sensitive agencies. The identity card, passport block and arms license of such persons can be canceled, while bank accounts can also be frozen. Moreover, gangsters can also be included in the no-fly list.
This law is not limited to punishment only, but the affected people have also been given the right to appeal. The appeal will be heard in a tribunal headed by a retired sessions judge. According to the spokesperson, if a person violates the orders of the District Intelligence Committee, he will face three to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs. 1.5 million. While seven years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs. 2 million are also possible for repeat offenses.
