Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan has expressed ignorance about the tabling of the Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders Bill 2026 in the House and said he was not informed when the bill was presented.
“When this bill was brought in the House, why was I not informed?” the speaker said.
Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan said he would take strict action over the matter. He said legislation reflecting a colonial-era system was not acceptable.
The bill was presented in the House by Parliamentary Secretary for Law Khalid Mehmood Ranjha. Panel of Chairperson Iftikhar Ahmed Chhichhar later referred the bill to the relevant standing committee.
The Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Home approved the bill on Tuesday. The proposed law, titled the Punjab Habitual Criminals and Anti-Social Behaviour Control Act 2026, seeks to introduce electronic monitoring of habitual offenders and people involved in organised crime and anti-social activities.
According to the text of the bill, repeat offenders, people involved in organised crime and those accused of anti-social activities can be declared habitual offenders after an inquiry by the District Intelligence Committee.
The bill proposes that a magistrate may issue a surveillance order on the recommendation of the District Intelligence Committee. A person declared a habitual offender may be ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device.
The monitoring would initially continue for three months and could be extended if required. The movement and activities of the person would be tracked through the device.
The bill also brings hate speech, inflammatory material, blackmail, threats, display of weapons, harassment of women, gambling, sale of alcohol, fake documents and certain cyber and social media activities under its scope.
According to the bill, spreading false news on social media would also be treated as anti-social behaviour.
The proposed law allows the government to compile regular records of habitual offenders, including fingerprints, DNA and biometric information in a government database.
Law enforcement agencies would be allowed to profile habitual offenders under the proposed law.
The District Intelligence Committee would be empowered to recommend freezing bank accounts, blocking passports and placing names on the passport control list.
The committee would be headed by the divisional commissioner. Police officers, Special Branch, CTD and representatives of federal intelligence agencies would be part of the committee.
The committee would be required to meet every month, and its decisions would be treated as actions taken in good faith.
The bill proposes a prison term of up to three years for violation of the law or failure to comply with conditions linked to electronic monitoring or bail bonds.
An aggrieved person would have the right to appeal at district, divisional and provincial levels and before a tribunal within 30 days.
The bill states that the law is aimed at protecting public order, strengthening the writ of the state and using modern surveillance systems to prevent organised crime.
The bill will be presented before the House for passage after the standing committee’s report. After approval by the Punjab Assembly, it will be sent to the Punjab governor for final assent.
Reporter: Rao Dilshad