KARACHI: The Government of Pakistan promulgated on Saturday, Oct 8 the “Pakistan Public Safety Ordinance, 1949”. The Ordinance … shall remain in force for … one year (subject to extension) and extends to all the provinces, to the Capital of the Federation, and every acceding state.

Under [it] … the Government assume wide powers of externment, detention, restriction of movement, control of subversive associations, prevention of certain acts, control of information and pre-censorship of news. The Ordinance makes certain amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code… . It also declares that “the provisions of this Ordinance shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the provisions of any other Act, ordinance or regulation for the time being in force”.

Under the … Ordinance, the … Government, … with a view to preventing [a particular person] from acting in a manner prejudicial to public safety … may order his externment, his detention, or restrict his movement… . Contravention of any order made … makes the person liable to imprisonment for a term extending to three years, with a fine, or with both. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2024