PPC Amendment Bill 2025 proposes stricter punishment for drunk drivers

Drunk drivers may face severe punishment as the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Amendment Bill 2025 was presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The amendment bill was jointly presented by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Member of the National Assembly Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig and Arshad Abdullah Vohra.

According to the text of the bill, a drunk driver involved in a fatal accident will be charged with the offence of “manslaughter by intoxication.” The proposed amendment states that the perpetrator of a drunk-driving accident causing death will be punished with imprisonment of up to ten years and a fine of up to Rs500,000.

The bill states that in every accident resulting in death or serious bodily injury, the officer in charge of the police station or the investigating officer, not below the rank of sub-inspector, will be obligated to immediately conduct breath, blood and saliva tests to determine whether the driver involved was intoxicated.

In case the tests confirm that the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the bill mandates that the police officer in charge will register the FIR under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code. According to the proposed legislation, cases will be registered under Section 322 or Section 302 of the PPC, depending on the nature of the offence.

The bill has been laid before the National Assembly for further consideration.