{ "schema_version": "qanun-law-text/1", "id": "pk-code-b73542f055154926", "title": "Enforcement of Shari'ah Act, 1991", "source_collection": "Federal", "content_kind": "stored_law_text", "content_extent": null, "source_url": "https://pakistancode.gov.pk/alpha/UY2FqaJw1-apaUY2Fqa-apmXZA%3D%3D-sg-jjjjjjjjjjjjj", "version": null, "source_snapshot": null, "legal_status": "not independently verified", "text_quality": "Complete stored UTF-8 TXT file recovered byte-for-byte from owned Drive. Source transcription retained verbatim; legal completeness, OCR accuracy and current consolidation unverified.", "text_sha256": "a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11", "source_sha256": "a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11", "text_version_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11", "quality_flags": [], "encoding": "UTF-8", "text": "Page 1 of 7 \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nTHE ENFORCEMENT OF SHARI’AH ACT, 1991 \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n CONTETNS \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n2. Definition \r\n3. Supremacy of Shari’ah \r\n4. Laws to be interpreted in the light of Shari’ah \r\n5. Observance of Shari’ah by Muslim citizens \r\n6. Teaching of, and training in, Shari’ah etc. \r\n7. Islamization of education \r\n8. Islamization of economy \r\n9. Mass media to promote Islamic values \r\n10. Protection of life, liberty, property, etc. \r\n11. Elimination of bribery and corruption \r\n12. Eradication of obscenity, vulgarity, etc. \r\n13. Eradication of social evils \r\n14. Nizam-i-adl \r\n15. Bait-ul-Mal (Welfare Fund) \r\n16. Protection of the ideology of Pakistan, etc. \r\n17. Safeguard against false imputations, etc. \r\n18. International financial obligations, etc. \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\n \r\nPage 2 of 7 \r\n \r\n19. Fulfillment of existing obligations \r\n20. Rights of women not to be affected \r\n21. Laws to be enacted by Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) and Provincial Assembly only \r\n22. Rules \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nPage 3 of 7 \r\n \r\nTHE ENFORCEMENT OF SHARI’AH ACT, 1991 \r\nACT NO. X of 1991 \r\n[5th June, 1991] \r\nAn Act for the enforcement of the Shari’ah \r\nWHEREAS sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the \r\nauthority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan through their chosen representatives within the \r\nlimits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust; \r\nAND WHEREAS Islam has bee n declared to be the State religion of Pakistan and it is \r\nobligatory for all Muslims to follow the Injunctions of the Holy Quran and Sunnah to regulate and \r\norder their lives in complete submission to the Divine law; \r\nAND WHEREAS the Objectives Resolution h as been incorporated in the Constitution of the \r\nIslamic Republic of Pakistan as a substantive part thereof; \r\nAND WHEREAS it is one of the fundamental obligations of the Islamic State to protect the \r\nhonour, life, liberty and the fundamental rights of the citizens as guaranteed under the Constitution and \r\nto ensure peace and provide inexpensive and speedy justice to people through an independent Islamic \r\nsystem of justice without any discrimination ; \r\nAND WHEREAS Islam enjoins establishment of social order base d on the Islamic values of \r\nbidding what is right and forbidding what is wrong (amr bil Ma’roof wa nahi anil Munkar); \r\nAND WHEREAS in order to achieve the aforesaid objectives and goals, it is necessary to give \r\nto these measures constitutional and legal backing; \r\nIt is hereby enacted as follows: \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement.— (1) This Act may be called the Enforcement of \r\nShari’ah Act, 1991. \r\n \r\n(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan. \r\n \r\n(3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n(4) Nothing contained in this Act shall affect the personal laws, religious freedom, traditions, \r\ncustoms and way of life of the non-Muslims. \r\n2. Definition.—In this Act “Shari’ah” means the Injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy \r\nQuran and Sunnah. \r\nExplanation.—While inter preting and explaining the Shari’ ah the recognized principles of \r\ninterpretation and explanation of the Holy Quran and Sunnah shall be followed and the expositions \r\nand opinions of recognised jurists of Islam belonging to prevalent Islamic schools of jurisprudence \r\nmay be taken into consideration. \r\n3. Supremacy of Shari’ah.— (1) The Shari’ah that is to say, the Injunctions of Islam as laid \r\ndown in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, shall be the supreme law of Pakistan. \r\n \r\nPage 4 of 7 \r\n \r\n(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Judgement of any court or an y other \r\nlaw for the time being in force, the present political system, including the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) \r\nand Provincial Assemblies and the existing system of Government, shall not be challenged in any \r\ncourt, including Supreme Court, the Federal Shariat Court or any authority or tribunal: \r\nProvided that nothing contained herein shall affect the rights of the non -Muslims guaranteed \r\nby or under the Constitution. \r\n4. Laws to be interpreted in the light of Shari’ah.—For the purpose of this Act— \r\n(a) while interpreting the statute-law, if more than one interpretation is possible, the \r\none consistent with the Islamic principles and jurisprudence shall be adopted by \r\nthe Court; and \r\n(b) where two or more interpretations are equally possible, the interpretation which \r\nadvances the Principles of Policy and Islamic provisions in the Constitution \r\nshall be adopted by the Court. \r\n5. Observance of Shari’ah by Muslim citizens. —All Muslim citizens of Pakistan shall \r\nobserve Shari'ah and act accordingly and in th is regard the Majlis -e-Shoora (Parliament) shall \r\nformulate code of conduct for Government functionaries. \r\n6. Teaching of , and training in, Shari’ah etc. —The State shall make effective \r\narrangements— \r\n(a) for the teaching of, and training in, the Shari’ah, Islamic jurisprudence and all \r\nother branches of Islamic law at appropriate levels of education and professional \r\ntraining; \r\n(b) to include courses on the Shari’ah in the syllabi of the law colleges ; \r\n(c) for the teaching of the Arabic language ; and \r\n(d) to avail the services of persons duly qualified in Shari’ah, Islamic jurisprudence \r\nand Ifta in judicial system. \r\n7. Islamization of education. —(1) The State shall take necessary steps to ensure that the \r\neducational system of Pakistan is based on Islamic values of learning, teaching and character building. \r\n(2) The Federal Government shall, within thirty days from the commencement of this Act, \r\nappoint a Commission consisting of educationists, jurists, experts, ulema and elected representatives \r\nas it may deem fit and appoint one of them to be its Chairman. \r\n(3) The functions of the Commission shall be to examine the educational system of Pakistan to \r\nachieve the objectives referred to in sub-section (1) and make recommendations in this behalf. \r\n(4) A report co ntaining the recommendations of the Commission shall be submitted to the \r\nFederal Government which shall cause it to be placed before both the Houses of Majlis -e-Shoora \r\n(Parliament). \r\n(5) The Commission shall have the power to conduct its proceedings and regulate its procedure \r\nin all respects as it may deem fit. \r\n \r\nPage 5 of 7 \r\n \r\n(6) All executive authorities, institutions and local authorities shal l act in aid of the \r\nCommission. \r\n(7) The Ministry of Education in the Government of Pakistan shall be responsible for the \r\nadministrative matters relating to the Commission. \r\n8. Islamization of economy.—(1) The State shall take steps to ensure that the economic system \r\nof Pakistan is constructed on the basis of Islamic economic objectives, principles, and priorities. \r\n(2) The Federal Government shall, within thirty days from the commencement of this Act, \r\nappoint a Commission consisting of economists, bankers, jurists, ulema, elected representatives and \r\nsuch other persons as it may deem fit and appoint one of them to be its Chairman. \r\n(3) The functions of the Commission shall be— \r\n(a) to recommend measures and steps, including suitable alternatives, by which the \r\neconomic system enunciated by Islam could be established ; \r\n(b) to recommend the ways, means and strategy for such changes in the economic \r\nsystem of Pakistan so as to achieve the social and economic well being of the \r\npeople as envisaged by Article 38 of the Constitution ; \r\n(c) to undertake the examination of any fiscal law or any law relating to the levy \r\nand collection of taxes and fees or banking or insurance law or practice and \r\nprocedure to determine whether or not these are repugnant to the Shari’ah and \r\nto make recommendation s to bring such laws, practices and procedure in \r\nconformity with the Shari’ah ; and \r\n(d) to monitor progress in respect of the Islamization of economy, identifying lapses \r\nand bottlenecks if any and suggest alternatives to remove any difficulty. \r\n(4) The C ommission shall oversee the process of elimination of riba from every sphere of \r\neconomic activity in the shortest possible time and also recommend such measures to the Government \r\nas would ensure the total elimination of riba from the economy. \r\n(5) The Commission shall submit its reports on a regular basis and at suitable intervals to the \r\nFederal Government which shall place the same before both the Houses of Majlis -e-Shoora \r\n(Parliament) and shall also respond to any queries sent to it by the Fed eral Government in respect of \r\nestablishment of the Islamic economic order. \r\n(6) The Commission shall have the power to conduct its proceedings and regulate its procedure \r\nin all respects as it may deem fit. \r\n(7) All executive authorities, institutions and l ocal authorities shall act in aid of the \r\nCommission. \r\n(8) The Ministry of Finance in the Government of Pakistan shall be responsible for the \r\nadministrative matters relating to the Commission. \r\n9. Mass media to promote Islamic values.— (1) The State shall take steps to promote Islamic \r\nvalues through the mass media. \r\n \r\nPage 6 of 7 \r\n \r\n(2) The publication and promotion of programmes against or in derogation to the Shari’ah, \r\nincluding obscene material shall be forbidden. \r\n10. Protection of life, liberty, pro perty, etc.—In order to protect the life, honour, liberty, \r\nproperty and the rights of the citizens, the State shall take legislative and administrative measures to— \r\n(a) introduce administrative and police reforms; \r\n(b) prevent acts of terrorism and sabotage and disruptive activities ; and \r\n(c) prevent the possession and display of illicit arms. \r\n11. Elimina tion of bribery and corruption. —The State shall take legislative and \r\nadministrative measures, to eliminate bribery, corruption and malpractices and provide for exemplary \r\npunishment for such offences. \r\n12. Eradication of obscenity, vulgarity, etc. —Effective legal and administrative measures \r\nshall be taken by the State to eradicate obscenity, vulgarity and other moral vices. \r\n13. Eradication of social evils.—The State shall take effective measures for enactment of law \r\neradicating social evils and promoting Islamic virtues on the principles of amr bil Ma’roof wa nahi’anil \r\nMunkar as laid down in the Holy Quran. \r\n14. Nizam-i-adl.—The State shall take adequate measures for the Isl amisation of the Judicial \r\nsystem by eliminating laws delays, multiplicity of proceedings in different courts, litigation expenses \r\nand ensuring the quest for truth by the court. \r\n15. Bait -ul-Mal (Welfare Fun d).—The State shall take steps to set -up a Bait -ul-Mal for \r\nproviding assistance to the poor, needy, helpless, handicapped, invalids, widows, orphans and the \r\ndestitute. \r\n16. Protection of the ideology of Pakistan, etc. —The State shall enact laws to protect the \r\nideology, solidarity and integrity of Pakistan as an Islamic State. \r\n17. Safeguard against false imputations, etc. —The State shall take legislative and \r\nadministrative measures to protect the honour and reputation of the citizens against false imputations, \r\ncharacter assassination and violation of privacy. \r\n18. International financial obligations, etc.—Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act \r\nor any decision of any court, till an alternative economic system is i ntroduced, financial obligations \r\nincurred and contracts made between a National Institution and a Foreign Agency shall continue to, \r\nremain, and be, valid, binding and operative. \r\nExplanation.—In this section, the expression “National Institution” shall inc lude the Federal \r\nGovernment or a Provincial Government, a statutory corporation, company, institution, body, \r\nenterprise or any person in Pakistan and the expression “Foreign Agency” shall include a foreign \r\ngovernment, a foreign financial institution, forei gn capital market, including a bank and any foreign \r\nlending agency, including an individual and a supplier of goods and services. \r\n19. Fulfillment of existing obligations.—Nothing contained in this Act or any decision made \r\nthereunder shall affect the valid ity of any financial obligations incurred, including under any \r\ninstruments, whether contractual or otherwise, promise to pay, or any other financial commitments \r\n \r\nPage 7 of 7 \r\n \r\nmade by or on behalf of the Federal Government or a Provincial Government or a financial or statutory \r\ncorporation or other institution to make payments envisaged therein, and all such obligations promises \r\nand commitments shall be valid, binding and operative till an alternative economic system is evolved. \r\n20. Rights of women not to be affected.—Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, \r\nthe rights of women as guaranteed by the Constitution shall not be affected. \r\n21. Laws to be enacted by Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) and Provincial Assembly only.—\r\nNotwithstanding anything contained in this Act or the judgement of any court, including the Supreme \r\nCourt, all laws shall be enacted exclusively by the Majlis -e-Shoora (Parliament) and the Provincial \r\nAssembly, as the case may be, and no law shall be made or be deemed to have been made unless it is \r\nmade in the manner laid down in the Constitution. \r\n22. Rules.—The Federal Government may, b y notification in the official g azette, make rules \r\nfor carrying out the purposes of this Act. \r\n________ \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n71994 RGN Date: 17-01-2025", "passage_offset_convention": "zero-based Unicode code points and UTF8 bytes; end exclusive", "passages": [ { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-0-1761:b3b06d309eade19881cba9e5379d5698fc958a769a8cf5d2e62dc3b8c0064ee3", "character_start": 0, "character_end": 1761, "utf8_byte_start": 0, "utf8_byte_end": 1775, "passage_sha256": "b3b06d309eade19881cba9e5379d5698fc958a769a8cf5d2e62dc3b8c0064ee3", "reader_fragment": "p-0-1761-b3b06d309eade198" }, { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-1761-3531:756960fe68994762cc4d11affc7e7e617eb6a997e8e4734dc8a86ec73c031ba6", "character_start": 1761, "character_end": 3531, "utf8_byte_start": 1775, "utf8_byte_end": 3569, "passage_sha256": "756960fe68994762cc4d11affc7e7e617eb6a997e8e4734dc8a86ec73c031ba6", "reader_fragment": "p-1761-3531-756960fe68994762" }, { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-3531-5316:447c2db57e7c6acd3c65720417b8a362e76828c8b951f704f39bb40e44e69c45", "character_start": 3531, "character_end": 5316, "utf8_byte_start": 3569, "utf8_byte_end": 5376, "passage_sha256": "447c2db57e7c6acd3c65720417b8a362e76828c8b951f704f39bb40e44e69c45", "reader_fragment": "p-3531-5316-447c2db57e7c6acd" }, { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-5316-7107:737472347c87d0e9e50e3d45ef6e2ff82117cfba491eb1cb71e57b89684fe9ad", "character_start": 5316, "character_end": 7107, "utf8_byte_start": 5376, "utf8_byte_end": 7173, "passage_sha256": "737472347c87d0e9e50e3d45ef6e2ff82117cfba491eb1cb71e57b89684fe9ad", "reader_fragment": "p-5316-7107-737472347c87d0e9" }, { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-7107-8844:4864f853c30424d9706f516b19202e210b5e834c428b0d77041e6d3cf4b245f4", "character_start": 7107, "character_end": 8844, "utf8_byte_start": 7173, "utf8_byte_end": 8914, "passage_sha256": "4864f853c30424d9706f516b19202e210b5e834c428b0d77041e6d3cf4b245f4", "reader_fragment": "p-7107-8844-4864f853c30424d9" }, { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-8844-10573:bb1aa4403d162141ba1a46aa33a04b8c779d00d2e12b3c72c14c90e4dd3f5349", "character_start": 8844, "character_end": 10573, "utf8_byte_start": 8914, "utf8_byte_end": 10663, "passage_sha256": "bb1aa4403d162141ba1a46aa33a04b8c779d00d2e12b3c72c14c90e4dd3f5349", "reader_fragment": "p-8844-10573-bb1aa4403d162141" }, { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-10573-12331:8264666fd9937df4215edd4fb63a89cf9ee08ac344873dcdace3c2a1dab3c1bd", "character_start": 10573, "character_end": 12331, "utf8_byte_start": 10663, "utf8_byte_end": 12441, "passage_sha256": "8264666fd9937df4215edd4fb63a89cf9ee08ac344873dcdace3c2a1dab3c1bd", "reader_fragment": "p-10573-12331-8264666fd9937df4" }, { "passage_id": "law:pk-code-b73542f055154926:sha256:a4ebc2e7ae4f335cdf64e5b6da59950de3794d5e174fb7deb53b73123d5d8c11:chars-12331-13497:9190ecf68db1aa9af8152f7d27e004523f2fa6e2fdbcff79cccb54c09cc79a9a", "character_start": 12331, "character_end": 13497, "utf8_byte_start": 12441, "utf8_byte_end": 13613, "passage_sha256": "9190ecf68db1aa9af8152f7d27e004523f2fa6e2fdbcff79cccb54c09cc79a9a", "reader_fragment": "p-12331-13497-9190ecf68db1aa9a" } ] }