Maritime Security Agency, Act, 1994

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THE MARITIME SECURITY AGENCY ACT, 1994 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
SECTIONS: 
 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
 
2. Definitions 
 
3. Constitution of the Agency 
 
4. Control, superintendance, command and administration of the Agency 
 
5. Appointment of members of staff 
 
6. Oath of allegiance 
 
7. Liability for Service 
 
8. Resignation and withdrawl from the service 
 
9. Application of the Pakistan Navy Ordinance,1961,etc. 
 
10. Powers and Functions of the Agency 
 
11. Other functions of the officers of the Agency, etc. 
 
12. Power of searches, arrest, etc. 
 
13. Indemnity 
 
14. Capture of deserters 
 
15. Court of Appeal 
 
16. Provisions regarding waiver and compounding of qisas, etc., shall apply 
 
17. Revision 
 
Updated till 18-4-2022 

 
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18. Power to make rules 
 
19. Power to make regulations 
 
20. Exemption of Agency vessels, etc., from port charges 
 
 SCHEDULE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
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MARITIME SECURITY AGENCY ACT, 1994. 
 
ACT NO. X OF 1994 
 
An Act to provide for constitution and regulation of the 1[Pakistan] Maritime Security Agency. 
 
WHEREAS it is expedient to constitute a 1[Pakistan] Maritime Agency to provide for the 
regulation of maritime activities and to safeguard the maritime interests  of Pakistan and for matters 
connected therewith or ancillary thereto; 
 
It is hereby enacted as follows :— 
 
1.  Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Maritime Security 
Agency Act, 1994. 
 
(2) It applies to all officers and members of the 1[Pakistan] staff of the 1[Pakistan] Maritime 
Security Agency wherever they may be.  
  
 (3) It shall come into force at once. 
 
2. Definitions.—(1) In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context.— 
 
(a)  “Agency” means the 1[Pakistan] Maritime Security Agency constituted under 
section 3 ; 
 
(b)  “Commanding Officer ” means an officer appointed in command of a ship, 
vessel or establishment of the Agency or the officer on whom such command 
may devolve under this Act or the rules ; 
 
(c)  “Director­General” means the Director­General of the 2[***] Agency appointed 
under sub­section (2) of section 3; 
 
(d)  “establishment” means an establishment or station belonging to, or under the 
control of, the Agency, whether within or outside Pakistan ; 
 
(e)  “maritime interests of Pakistan ” means rights, control, jurisdiction and 
sovereignty over Maritime Zones and includes the sovereign rights of Pakistan 
to explore, exploit, conserve, manage the living and non­living resources and 
other activities for economic exploitation, exploration and to safeguard the  
unauthorised exploitation of resources of Pakistan seas and prevention thereto 
from damage through pollution ; 
 
(f)  “Maritime Zones ” means the territorial waters, the Contiguous Zone, 
Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone of Pakistan or any other zone or 
area declared as such by the Federal Government; 
 
(g)  “member of the staff ” includes a Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer, junior 
commissioned officer, sailor and other ministerial staff of the Agency ; 
 
1 The word “Pakistan” Ins. by Act VIII of 2013 s. 2 to 5 
2 The words “Maritime Security” omitted by Act VIII of 2013 s. 5 
 
 
 
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(h)  “officer” means a person appointed in a pay scale as an officer of the Agency, 
but does not include a member of the staff; 
 
(f)  “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 
 
(j)  “regulations” means regulations made under this Act ; 
 
(k)  “rules” means rules made under this Act; and 
 
(l)  “territorial waters”, “Contiguous Zone”, “Continental Shelf ” and “Exclusive 
Economic Zone” shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the 
Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1976 (LXXXII of 1976). 
 
(2) All words and expressions used but not defined in this Act shall, unless the context 
otherwise requires, have the same meanings as assigned to them in the Pakistan Navy Ordinance, 1961 
(XXXV of 1961). 
 
3. Constitution of the Agency.—(1) As soon as may be, after the commencement of this Act, 
the Federal Government shall, by notification in the official Gazette, constitute an agency to be called 
the 1[Pakistan Maritime] Security Agency for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
 
(2) The Agency shall consist of a Director­General to be appointed by the 2[Prime Minister] 
from amongst the officers of Pakistan Navy who shall not be below the rank of Commodore and such 
other officers and members of t he staff as may be appointed by the 3[secretary of the division 
concerned], from time to time, including— 
 
(a) Deputy Director­General ; 
 
(b) Director (Operation); 
 
(c) Director (Administration) ; 
 
(d) Director (Technical) ; 
 
(e) Director (Budget and Accounts) ; and 
 
(f) Director (Legal Affairs). 
 
4. Control , superintendance, command and administration of the Agency . Subject to 
overall control and superintendence of the 4[secretary of the division concerned] , the command and 
administration of the Agency shall vest in, and be exercised by, the Director­General as its chief 
executive in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder. 
 
5. Appointment of members of staff. —(1) The 5[secretary of the division concerned]  may 
authorize the Director General or any other officer to appoint any officer and other members of the 
staff and determine the duties to be performed by them. 
 
 
1Subs by Act VIII of 2013 s.6, for the word “Maritime” 
2Subs. by the Maritime Security Agency (Amendment) Act, 2021 (XLIII of 2021), s. 2(a), for the words “Federal Government” 
3Subs. Ibid s. 2(b), for the words “Federal Government” 
4Subs. Ibid s. 3, for the words “Federal Government” 
5Subs. Ibid s. 4, for the words “Federal Government” 
 
 
 
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(2)s Appointments under sub­section (1) shall be made by direct recruitment or promotion or 
from personnel on deputation from the Pakistan Navy or any other department of the Government in 
such manner as may be prescribed. 
 
(3) The terms and conditions of service of the officers and members of the staff shall be such 
as may be prescribed. 
 
6. Oath of allegiance .—(1) Every member of the Agency shall, as soon as possible after 
appointment or enrolment to the Agency, make and subscribe before his Commanding Officer or any 
other officer appointed by the Commanding Officer in this behalf, an oath in the form set out in the 
Schedule. 
 
(2) The oath referred to in sub­section (1) shall be read out and, if necessary, explained to him 
who shall, in acknowledgement, of the oath having been so read out to him, put his signature to it. 
 
(3) When the oath set out in the Schedule is read out, it shall be repeated by the person taking 
oath before he signs it. 
 
7. Liability for Service.  Every officer and member of the staff shall be liable to serve in the 
Agency within and outside Pakistan, until he reaches the age of superannuation or his services are 
terminated by the competent authority in accordance with this Act or the rules made thereunder, or on 
reversion to his original service or office being a transferee to the Agency on deputation or on 
secondment. 
 
8. Resignation and withdrawl from the service. No member of the Agency shall— 
 
(a)  resign from his service during the term of his appointment; or 
 
(b)  withdraw himself from all or any of the duties of his appointment. 
 
9. Application of the Pakistan Navy Ordinance,1961,etc. —(1) Subject to the provisions of 
this Act, every officer and member of the staff shall, whether appointed through initial recruitment or 
otherwise, unless he is already so subject, be subject to the Pakistan Navy Ordinance, 1961 (XXXV of 
1961), hereinafter referred to as the said Ordinance. 
 
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub­section ( 1), a civil servant transferred to the 
Agency on deputation or a person subject to the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 (XXXIX of 1952), or the 
Pakistan Air Force Act, 1953 (XXXV of 1953), on secondment to the Agency, not otherwise subject 
to this Act, shall be so subject to this Act and the said Ordinance to the extent and under such conditions 
as the Federal Government may direct : 
 
Provided that such civil servant and ot her person shall be subject to the said Ordinance when 
they— 
 
(a)  seduce or attempt to seduce any person subject to this Act from his duty or 
allegiance to the Government; 
 
(b) commit any offence in relation to any work of defence, arsenal, naval, military, 
air force or Agency’s establishment, station, ship, or aircraft; 
 
(c)  commit any offence under the Official Secret Act, 1923 (XIX of 1923) , in 
relation to the affairs of the Agency ; 
 
 
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(d)  commit any offence punishable under any law for the time being in force on the 
vessel, ship, aircraft or property of the Agency or in relation thereof; and 
 
(e)  embark as passenger on board of the Agency’s vessel, ship or aircraft. 
 
Explanation.—The expression ‘civil servant’ shall have the same meaning as is a ssigned to it 
in the Civil Servants Act, 1973 (LXXI of 1973). 
 
(3) The Director­General shall, in respect of all officers and members of the staff, have all the 
powers conferred by or under the said Ordinance on an officer empowered to convene courts martial. 
 
(4) Where anything is not provided for in this Act or the rules or regulations, the provisions of 
the said Ordinance and the rules and regulations made thereunder shall apply. 
 
10. Powers and Functions of the Agency .—(1) The Agency shall be responsible for the 
regulation and protection of the maritime interests of Pakistan and to assert  and enforce national 
jurisdiction and sovereignty in the Maritime Zones. 
 
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub­section (1), the functions of the 
Agency shall be to— 
 
(a)  prevent unauthorised exploitation of any economic resour ces by any person, 
agency, vessel or device within the Maritime Zones ; 
 
(b)  protect Pakistani fishing vessels and crew against any threat, instructions or 
interference within the Maritime Zones; 
 
(c)  enforce the national and international laws, agreements and conventions on and 
under the water in the Maritime Zones ; 
 
(d) assist and coordinate search and rescue for the vessels, property and lives in 
distress and render such assistance which may be necessary in any emergency 
in the Maritime Zones and on high seas ; 
 
(e)  assist other departments and agencies of the Government to maintain and 
preserve the quality of marine life and to prevent and control the effects of 
marine disasters including marine pollution in and around the ports, harbours, 
coastal areas, estuaries and other areas of Maritime Zones ; 
 
(f)  assist and co­ordinate with national and international agencies in hydrographic 
and oceanographic research, navigation, weather reporting and other scientific 
activities in the maritime Zones ; 
 
(g)  assist other departments and agencies of the Government in safeguarding and 
protecting artificial islands, offshore terminals, installations and other structures 
and devices in the Maritime Zones ; 
 
(h)  provide assistance for petroleum exploration and production in the Maritime 
Zones ; 
 
(i)  render assistance to other agencies in acquisition of mineral exploration, seismic 
studies and assessment data in the Maritime Zones ; 
 
 
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(j)  cooperate with, and provide assistance to Customs , Coast Guards and other 
departments, agencies and authorities in Maritime Zones in the discharge of 
their duties and functions ; 
 
(k)  provide an effective secondary maritime force for deployment in any 
emergency, war or conflict; and 
 
(l)  perform such other fu nctions as may be assigned to it by the Federal 
Government, from time to time, to protect maritime interests of Pakistan. 
 
*11. Other functions of the officers of the Agency, etc .—(1) In addition to the powers and 
functions as officers of the Agency, such officers may perform functions of— 
 
(i)  Officers of customs as may be entrusted to them and exercise such 
powers under the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969), as may be delegated 
to them under section 6 of that Act ; and 
 
(ii)  Fishery Officers as may be entrusted to them under the Exclusive 
Fishery Zone (Regulation of Fishing) Act, 1975 (XXXII of 1975), and 
exercise such powers under the said Act as may be delegated to them 
under section 14 thereof. 
 
(iii)  Police Officer, and exercise all the powers conf erred on an officer in 
charge of a Police Station under the Police Act, 1861 (V of 1861) and 
under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898). 
 
(2) The Government may, at any time, assign or delegate any other functions or powers upon 
any officer of the Agency under any law for the time being in force in the Maritime Zones. 
 
12. Power of searches, arrest, etc.  In exercise of the powers and performance of their 
functions under this Act, the officers and members of the staff may make inquiries, examinations, 
inspections, investigation, searches, seizures, and arrests for prevention, detection and suppression of 
contravention of any law for the time being in force within the Maritime Zones and for that purpose, 
the officers and members of the staff may board any vessel except ships, vessels or crafts of Pakistan 
Armed Forces. 
 
13. Indemnity. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any person for 
anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any rules or regulations 
made thereunder. 
 
14. Capture of deserters.—(1) Whenever any person subject to this Act deserts, the Director­ 
General or any other officer authorised by him in this behalf, shall give written information of the 
desertion to such authorities as in his opinion may be able to afford assistance towards the capture of 
the deserter and such authorities shall thereupon take steps for the apprehension of the deserter in like 
manner as if he was a person for whose apprehension a warrant had been issued by the Magistrate, and 
shall deliver the deserter, when apprehended into the custody of the Agency. 
 
 
______________________________________________________________________ 
*For such powers delegated to Maritime Security Agency, Pl. see SRO No. 9(KE)/05, dated 
02­02­2005 
 
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(2) Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person whom he reasonably believes t o 
be subject to this Act and a deserter or absentee without leave and bring him without delay before the 
nearest magistrate, to be dealt with according to law. 
 
15. Court of Appeal.—(1) There shall be a Court of Appeal which shall hear appeals against 
the findings and sentence of court martial— 
 
(a)  in offences punishable under hudood laws ; 
 
(b)  in which an officer or member of the staff is sentenced to death or imprisonment 
for a term exceeding three months ; 
 
(c)  in a case in which an officer or member of the staff is dismissed from service ; 
and 
 
(d)  in such other cases as may be referred to it by the Director­General. 
 
Explanation.—The expression “Hudood laws” means the Offences Against (Enforcement of  
Hudood) Ordinance, 1979 (VI of 1979) , the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance,  
1979 (VII of 1979), the Offence of Qazf (Enforcement of Hadd) Ordinance, 1979 (VIII of 1979) , the 
Zakat and Ushr Ordinance, 1980 (XVIII of 1980), the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order 1979 
(P.O. No. 4 of 1979), and the laws based on the principles of Qisas and Diyat. 
 
(2) Subject to the provisions of sub­section (1), an aggrieved person may, within thirty days of 
the promulgation of the sentence, file an appeal before the Court of Appeal. 
 
(3) The Court of Appeal shall be appointed by the 1[Director General] and shall consist of 
officers of suitable ranks and qualifications who are eligible to serve on a court martial. 
 
(4) The Court of Appeal shall have the power to— 
 
(i)  confirm the findings, sentence or both ; or 
 
(ii)  quash, alter, revise or substitute the findings and sentence; and 
 
(iii)  order retrial of the case : 
 
Provided that no order under this sub­section shall be made to the prejudice of the accused or 
any other person unless he has been afforded an opportunity of being heard either personally or by his 
defending officer or his counsel. 
 
(5) Where an offence has been waived or compounded under sub­section (2) of section 16, the 
Court of Appeal may, in its discretion having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case acquit` 
or award, Ta’zir to the offender according to the nature of the offence. 
 
(6) Subject to the provisions of sections 16 and 17 the decision of the Court of Appeal shall be 
final and shall not be called in question before any court or other authority. 
 
 
 
______________________________________________________________________ 
       1Subs. by the Maritime Security Agency (Amendment) Act, 2021 (XLIII of 2021), s. 5, for the words “Federal Government”  
 
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16. Provisions regarding waiver and compounding of qisas, etc., shall apply.—(1) Subject 
to the provisions of Chapter XVI of the Pakistan Penal Code and section 345 of the Code of Criminal 
Procedure, 1898, all offences falling under the said Chapter ma y be waived or compounded and the 
provisions of sections 309 and 310 of the Pakistan Penal Code shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to the 
waiver or compounding of offences awarded to officers and members of staff subject to this Act. 
 
(2) Where an offence has been waived or compounded, the Court may, in its discretion having 
regard to the facts and circumstances of the case acquit or award Ta ’zir to the offender according to 
nature of the offence : 
 
Provided that, in a case in which sentence of death or impriso nment for life shall have been 
passed against an offender convicted for an offence of qatl or jurh, such sentence shall not be 
commuted without the consent of the heirs of the victim or, as the case may be, of the victim. 
 
Explanation.—For the purpose of this section, court includes the Court of Appeals under this 
Act. 
 
17. Revision. The 1[Prime Minister] may, either on its own accord or on an application made 
to it, call for the record of any case decided by the court martial or in which no appeal lies and  may 
make such order in the case as it thinks fit. 
 
18. Power to make rules.—(1) The Federal Government may, by notification in the official 
Gazette, make rules for the purpose of carrying out the purposes of this Act. 
 
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of foregoing power, such rules may 
provide for— 
 
 
(a)  the command, administration and discipline of the Agency ; 
 
(b)  the appointment of officers and members of the staff and their terms and 
conditions of service ; 
 
(c)  the terms and conditions of service applicable to the civil servants or other 
persons transferred to the Agency on deputation or on secondment; 
 
 (d)  the appointment of authority or authorised officers for case of disciplinary 
proceedings against civil servants and other persons specified in sub­clause (c); 
 
(e)  the convening, constitution, adjournment, dissolution and sitting of court 
martial and Court of Appeal and the procedure to be observed by such Courts ; 
 
(f)  the carrying into effect of sentence of court martial and Court of Appeal ; 
 
(g)  investigation, arrest, custody, trial and punishment of offences ; and 
 
(h)  the procedure relating to the exercise of powers of revision under this Act. 
 
 
 
 
1Subs. by the Maritime Security Agency (Amendment) Act, 2021 (XLIII of 2021), s. 6, for the words “Federal Government” 
 
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19. Power to make regulations . The Director­General may, with the approval of the 
1[secretary of the division concerned] , make regulation s by notification in the official Gazette not 
inconsistent with this Act or the rules. 
 
20. Exemption of Agency vessels, etc., from port charges.  The exemption from the levy of 
any port tax, toll, rate or other charges in any part of Pakistan, allowed to the vessels, ships and crafts 
of the Pakistan Navy, shall to the same extent and manner, be admissible to the vessels, ships and crafts 
of the Agency. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1Subs. by the Maritime Security Agency (Amendment) Act, 2021 (XLIII of 2021), s.7, for the words “Federal Government” 
 
 
 
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SCHEDULE  
(See section 6) 
 
I,_______________do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan : 
 
That as an officer/member of the staff of 1[Pakistan maritime] Security Agency, I will discharge 
my duties and perform my functions honestly, to the best of my ability and faithfully in accordance 
with the laws of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and without fear or favour, affection, or ill­will ; 
 
That I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official 
decisions; 
 
 And that I will observe and obey all commands of my seniors without any hesitation or 
objection.  
 
May Allah Almighty help and guide me (Amen). 
 
Signed in acknowledgement of the above having been read. 
 
Date______________ 
 
Signed in my presence after I had ascertained that the person understand the purport of what 
he signed. 
 
Date______________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1Subs. by Act VIII of 2013,s.7, for the words “Federal Government”