Civil Defence Act, 1952

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THE CIVIL DEFENCE ACT, 1952 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
1 A.  Definitions 
2.  Power to make rules 
 3.  Ordinary avocations of life to be interfered with as little as possible 
4.  Savings as to orders  
5.  Protection of action taken under the Act 
6.  Compensation to be paid in accordance with certain principles for compulsory acquisition of 
immovable property, etc  
7.  Power to acquire requisitioned property  
8.  Release from requisition  
9.  Delegation of powers under the Acts 
10. Repeal of Ordinance, (VIII of 1951)  

 
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THE CIVIL DEFENCE ACT, 1952 
1
ACT No. XXXI OF 1952 
 [29th April, 1952] 
An Act to provide for powers to secure the civil defence of 2[Pakistan]. 
WHEREAS it is necessary to provide for powers to secure the civil defence of 2[Pakistan] ; It is 
hereby enacted as follows  
1.  Short title, extent and commencement.__ (1) This Act may be called the Civil Defence 
Act, 1952. 
(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan. 
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
3[1A.  Definitions.__ In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context 
4[(1)  civil defence includes any measures not amounting to actual combat, for affording 
defence against any form of  hostile attack by a foreign power or for depriving any form of hostile 
attack by a foreign power of its effect, whether such measures are taken before, during or after the time 
of the attack and includes remedial measures during calamity or disaster in peace time.] 
 (2)  ‘Civil Defence Services’ means the services formed wholly or mainly to meet the needs 
of civil defence. 
2.  Power to make rules.__ The 1[Federal Government] may by notification in the official 
Gazette make such rules2 as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for securing the civil defence of 
3[Pakistan]. 
 (2)  Without prejudice to the generality of the powers conferred by subsection (1) such rules 
may provide for, or may empower any authority to make orders providing for, all or any of the 
following matters, namely.__  
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1
For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of Pakistan, Ext., 1952, page 287. 
The Act has been applied to­­‑ 
(i) Baluchistan, with certain modification, with effect on and from the thirtieth day of April, 1952, see Gazette of Pakistan, 1952, Pt. I, p 190 ; 
extended to the Leased Areas of Baluchistan, by the Leased Areas (Laws) Order, 1950 (G.G.O. 3 of 1950); and applied in the Federated Areas of 
Baluchistan, see Gazette of P. 1953, Pt. I, p. 152 ; and It has also been extended to__ 
(i) the Baluchistan States Union, by the Baluchistan States Union (Federal Laws) (Extension) Order, 1953 (G.G.O. 4 of 1953) ; and 
(ii) Khairpur State, by the Khairpur (Federal Laws) (Extension) Order, 1953 (G.G.O. 5 of 1953). 
The Act has been and shall be deemed to have been brought into force in Gwadur with effect from the 8th September, 1958, by the Gwadur 
(Application of Central Laws) Ordinance, 1960 (37 of 1960), S. 2. 
2 Subs. by A.O., 1964, Art. 2 and Sch., for “the Federation”. 
3 Section 1A, ins. by the Civil Defence (Amdt.) Act, 1966 (10 of 1966), s. 2. 
4 Subs. by the Civil Defence (Amdt.) Act, 1994 (22 of 1994) , s. 2. for cl. (1). 
5 Subs. by F.A.O., 1975 Art. 2 and Table, for “Central Government”. 
 6 For the Civil Denfence (Special Powers) Rules, 1951, see Gaz. of P., 1951, Ext., pp. 571582 ; for the Railway Air Raid Precautions Services Rules, 
1951, see ibid., pp. 667672. 3 Subs. by A.O., 1964, Art. 2 and Sch., for “the Federation”.  
 
 
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1[(a)  the constitution, enrolment, discipline, powers, duties, privileges and protection 
of Civil Defence Services ; 
(b)  Preventing or prohibiting anything likely to assist the enemy or to 
prejudice the successful conduct of civil defence including acts, 
publication or communications prejudicial to civil defence ;  
(c)  requiring any person or class of persons to comply with any scheme of civil 
defence ; 
(d)  ensuring the safety of any place or thing used or intended to be used for the 
purposes of Government or  a local authority, the protection of which is 
considered necessary or expedient for securing civil defence ; 
(e)  the control of lights, sounds and vehicles ; 
(f)  the control of trade or industry for the purposes of regulating or increasing the 
supply of, and the obtaining of information with regard to, articles or things of  
any description whatsoever which may be used in connection with the conduct 
of civil defence ; 
(g)  the provision, storage and maintenance of commodities and material required 
for the conduct of civil defence ; 
(h)  the provision, construction, maintenance or alteration of buildings, premises or 
other structures required for the conduct of civil defence ; 
(i)  the measures for preventing and dealing with the outbreak of fire;  
(j)`  preventing or controlling any use of uniforms, whether official or otherwise, 
flags, official decorations like medals, badges and other insignia and anything 
similar thereto, where such use is calculated or likely to deceive the public or to 
prejudice civil defence ;  
(k)  the salvage of damaged buildings and property and disposal of the dead ;  
(l)  the evacuation of areas and the removal of property or animals therefrom ;  
(m)  the accommodation in any area of persons evacuated from another area and the 
regulation of the conduct of evacuated persons accommodated in such area ;  
(n)  the billeting of evacuated persons ;  
(o)  the instruction of members of the public in civil defence ;  
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1 Subs. by the Civil Defence (Amdt.) Act, 1966 (10 of 1966), s. 3, for the original clauses (a), (b),(c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h). 
 
 
 
  
 
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(p)  the entry into, and search of, any place reasonably suspected of being used for 
any purpose prejudicial to civil defence and for the seizure and disposal of 
anything found there and reasonably suspected of being used for such purpose; 
(q)  the requisition of property and acquisition thereof.] 
  (3)  The rules made under sub-section (1) may further___  
(a)  provide for the arrest and trial of persons contravening any of the rules or any 
order issued thereunder ;  
(b)  provide that any contravention of, or a ny attempt to contravene, and any 
abetment of, or attempt to abet, the contravention of any of the provisions of the 
rules, or any order issued under any such provision, shall be punishable with 
imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or wi th fine which 
may extend to five thousand rupees or with both 1[;]  
2[(c)  provide for the seizure, detention and forfeiture of any property in respect of 
which such contravention, attempt or abetment as is referred to in clause (b) has 
been committed ;  
(d)  prescribe the duties and powers of public servants and other persons as regards 
preventing the contravention of, or securing the observance of, the rules or any 
order issued thereunder ;  
(e)  provide for preventing the obstruction and deception of, an d disobedience to, 
any person acting, and interfering with any notice issued, in pursuance of the 
rules or of any order issued thereunder ; 
(f)  make provision prohibiting attempts to screen from punishment any person 
contravening any of the rules or any order issued thereunder.] 
3.  Ordinary avocations of life to be interferred with as little as possible.__ An authority 
or a person acting in pursuance of this Act shall interfere with the ordinary avocations of life and the 
enjoyment of property as title as may be consonant with the purpose of ensuring the public safety and 
interest and the defence of Pakistan.  
4.  Savings as to orders .__ (1) No order made in exercise of any power conferred by or 
under this Act shall be called in question in any Court.  
(2)  Where an order purports to have been made and signed by an authority in exercise of 
any power conferred by or under this Act, the Court shall, within the meaning of the Evidence Act  (1 
of 1872,) presume that such order was so made by that authority.  
 
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1 Subs. by the Civil Defence (Amdt.) Act, 1966 (10 of 1966), s.3. 
2 New clauses (c) to (f) added ibid. 
  
 
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5.  Protection of action taken under the Act .__ (1) No suit, prosecution or other legal 
proceeding shall tie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done 
in pursuance of this Act or any rules made thereunder or any order issued under any such rule.  
(2)  Save as otherwise expressly provided under this Act, no suit or other legal proceeding 
shall lie against the 1[Government[ for any damage caused or likely to be caused by anything in good 
faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rules made t hereunder or any order 
issued under any such rule. 
  6.  Compensation to be paid in accordance with certain principles for compulsory 
acquisition of immovable property, etc .__ (1) Where under Section 7 by or under any rule made 
under this Act any action is taken of the nature described in 2[Article 24] of the Constitution there shall 
be paid compensation, the amount of which shall be determined in the manner, and in accordance with 
the principles, hereinafter set out, that is to say :___ 
(a)  Where the amount of compensation can be fixed by agreement, it shall be paid 
in accordance with such agreement.  
(b)  Where no such agreement can be reached, the 3[Federal Government] shall 
appoint as arbitrator a person qualified 2* * * for appointment as  a Judge of a 
High Court.  
(c)  The 3[Federal Government] may, in any particular case, nominate a person 
having expert knowledge of the kind of property which has been acquired, to be 
an assessor to assist the arbitrator, and where such nomination is made,  the 
person to be compensated may also nominate an assessor for the said purpose.  
(d)  At the commencement of the proceedings before the arbitrator, the 3[Federal 
Government] and the person to be compensated shall state what in their 
respective opinions is a fair amount of compensation.  
(e)  The arbitrator in making his award shall have regard to.__ 
(i)  the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 23 of the Land Acquisition 
Act, 1894 (I of 1894), so far as the same can be made applicable ; and  
(ii)  whether the acquisition is of a permanent or temporary character : 
Provided that where any property requisitioned under any rule  made under this Act, is 
subsequently acquired under Section 7 or any such rule, the arbitrator in any proceedings in connection 
with such acquisition shall, for the purposes of the provisions of the said Section 23, take into 
consideration the marketvalue of 
4(2)  The original words, brackets, figures and commas “under subsection (3) ofsection 220 of 
the Government of India Act, 1935,” omitted by A.O., 1961, Art. 2 and Sch. (with ef ect from the 23 
rd March, 1956). 
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1Subs. by A.O., 1961, Art. 2., for “Crown” (with ef ect from the 23 rd March, 1956).  
2The original words, bracket and figures “sub-section (2) of section 299 of the Government of India Act, 1935” were first subs. by A.O., 1961, Art. 2 
and Sch., amended by A.O., 1964, Art. 2 and Sch. And Subs. by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Ordinance 1981 (27 of 1981), s. 3 and 2 
and Sch., to read as above. 
3Subs by F.A.O, 1975 Art.2 and Table, for “Central Government”. 
4the original words bracket, figures and commas “under sub-section(3) of section 220 of the Government of India Act, 1935,”omitted by A.O., 1961, 
Art.2 and Sch. (with effect from the 23rd March, 1956) 
 
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the property at the date of its requisition as aforesaid and not at the date of its subsequent acquisition. 
(f)  An appeal shall lie to the High Court against any award of an arbitrator except 
in cases where the amount awarded does not exceed an amount prescribed in 
this behalf by rule made by the 1 [Federal Government].  
(g)  Save as provided in this section and in any rules made there under, nothing in 
any law for the time being in force shall apply to arbitrations under this section. 
(2)  The 1[Federal Government] may make rules for the purpose of carrying into effect the 
provisions of this section.  
(3)  In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules 
may prescribe. 
(a)  the procedure to be followed in arbitrations under this section ;  
(b)  the principles to be followed in apportioning the costs of proceedings before 
the arbitrator and on appeal ; 
(c)  the maximum amount of an award against which no appeal shall lie. 
7.  Power to acquire requisitioned property .__ (1) Without prejudice to any power to 
acquire property conferred by any rule made under this Act, any immovable property which has been 
requisitioned under any rule so made may in the manner provided by any such rules for the acquisition 
of property, be acquired in the circumstances and by the Government hereinafter specified, namely.__  
(a)  where any works have, during the period of requisition, been constructed on, in 
or over the property wholly or partly at the expense of any Government, by that 
Government if it decides that the value of, or the right to use, such works shall, 
by means of the acquisition o f the property, be preserved or secured for the 
purposes of any Government ; or 
(b)  where the cost to any Government of restoring the property to its condition at 
the time of its requisition as aforesaid would, in the determination of that 
Government, be excessive having regard to the value of the property at that time, 
by that Government ; 
and at the beginning of the day on which notice of such acquisition is served or published under 
the aforesaid rules, the immovable property shall vest in the acquiring  Government free from any 
mortgage, pledge, lien or similar encumbrance, and the period of the requisition thereof shall end. 
(2)  Any decision or determination of a Government under subsection (1) shall be final, and 
shall not be called in question in any Court. 
  (3)  For the purposes of this section, “works” includes buildings, constructions and 
improvements of the property, of every description. 
1Subs. by F.A.O. 1975, Art. 2 and Table, for “Central Government 
 
 
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8. Release from requisition .__ (1) Where any property requisitioned under any rule made 
under this Act is to be released from such requisition, the Government by which or under whose 
authority the property was requisitioned or any person generally or specially authorised by it in this 
behalf may, after such enquiry, if any, as it or he may in any case consider it necessary to make or 
cause to be made, specify by order in writing the person to whom possession of the property shall be 
given.  
(2)  The delivery of possession of the propert y to the person specified in an order under 
subsection (1) shall be a full discharge of the Government from all liabilities in respect of the property, 
but shall not prejudice any rights in respect of the property which any other person may be entitled by 
due process of law to enforce against the person to whom possession of the property is given. 
9.  Delegation of powers under the Acts .__ The 1[Federal Government] may, by 
2notification in the official Gazette, direct that all or any of the powers or duties  which under the 
provisions of this Act or rules made thereunder are conferred or imposed upon the 1 [Federal 
Government] shall be exercised or discharged by any officer or authority subordinate to it or by the 
Provincial Government ; and the Provincial Government may, by a like notification, direct that all or 
any of the powers or duties as aforesaid, to be exercised or discharged by it, shall be exercised and 
discharged by any officer or authority subordinate to it.  
10.  Repeal of Ordinance, VIII of 1951.__ (1) The Civil Defence Ordinance, 1951, is 
hereby repealed. 
(2)  Every appointment, order or rule made under the Civil Defence (Special Powers) 
Ordinance, 1951 and maintained in force under the Civil Defence Ordinance, 1951 or made under the 
Civil Defence Ordinance, 1951, shall, if in force immediately before the commencement of this Act, 
and so far as it is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, be deemed to have been made under 
the provisions of this Act, and have effect accordingly subject to the provisions of this Act. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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1 Subs. by F.A.O. 1975, Art. 2 and Table, for “Central Government”. 
 2 For such notification, see Gaz. of P., Ext., 1951, p. 582.