Foreign Cultural Associations (Regulation of Functioning) Act, 1975

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THE FOREIGN CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS (REGULATION  
OF FUNCTIONING) ACT, 1975 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS   
1.  Short title, extent and commencement 
2.  Definitions 
3.  Formation of foreign cultural associations 
4. Responsibilities of foreign cultural association 
5.  Dissolution of foreign cultural association 
6.  Consequences of dissolution 
7.  Government servant not to become member of a foreign cultural association 
8.  Members not to obtain pecuniary advantage 
9.  Acceptance of foreign assistance 
10.  Financial assistance by foreign cultural association prohibited 
11.  Destruction, etc. of books and records prohibited 
12.  Filing of copies of political propaganda 
13.  Penalties and procedure 
14.  Indemnity 
15.  Power to make rules 
16.  Delegation of powers 
17.  [Omitted] 

 
 
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THE FOREIGN CULTURAL ASSOCIATIONS (REGULATION OF 
FUNCTIONING) ACT, 1975 
ACT No. LXXIX OF 1975 
[13th December, 1975] 
An Act to provide for the regulation of the functioning of foreign cultural associations 
 WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the regulation of the functioning o f foreign cultural 
associations; 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:— 
 1. Short title, extent and commencement.___ (l) This Act may be called the Foreign Cultural 
Associations (Regulation of Functioning) Act, 1975.  
 (2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan. 
 (3) It shall come into force at once. 
 2. Definitions. In this Act unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,— 
(a) “foreign cultural association” means an association, by whatever name  called, 
having as its object the promotion of cultural and friendly relations between 
Pakistan and a foreign country and includes a branch of such association; and 
(b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under section 15. 
 3. Formation of foreign cultural associations.___(1) No foreign cultural association  shall be 
formed with the object of,  or engage itself in, propagating any opinion , or acting in any manner, 
prejudicial to the ideology, integrity, security, constitution or system of Government o f Pakistan or 
Pakistan’s relations with any foreign country or contrary to morality or any law for the time being in 
force. 
 (2) A foreign cultural association shall have only one head office, but may, with the prior 
permission in writing of the Federal Government, set up a branch at the principal seat of a Provincial 
Government. 
 (3) Every foreign cultural association shall appoint its President with the approval of the 
Federal Government in the prescribed manner. 
 (4) No new foreign cultural association s hall be set up or shall start functioning unless 
registered by the Federal Government and such registration may be granted subject to such 
conditions as the Federal Government may specify. 
 (5) An existing foreign cultural association shall apply in the pr escribed manner for 
registration within one month of the coming into force of the rules to be made under this  Act  and  
the  Federal  Government  may  grant  registration  subject  to  such conditions as it may specify. 
 
 
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 4. Responsibilities of foreign cu ltural association.___ (1) Every foreign cultural association 
shall___  
(a) maintain audited accounts in the prescribed manner; 
(b) pay all moneys received by it into a separate account kept in its name at a bank 
which is a scheduled bank within the meanin g of the State Bank of Paki stan 
Act, 1956 (XXXIII of 1956); 
(c) submit to the Federal Government such information relating to its accounts 
and affairs as the Federal Government may from time to time require. 
 (2) Any officer authorised in this behalf by th e Federal Government may at all reasonable 
times inspect the books of account and other records of a foreign cultural association, the securities, 
cash and other properties held by the association, and all documents relating thereto. 
 5. Dissolution of foreign cultural association. ___ (l) No foreign cultural association shall be 
dissolved otherwise than in accordance with its constitution or with the provisions of sub-sections (2) 
and (3). 
 (2) Not less than sixty per cent of the members of a foreign cultur al association may make an 
application to the Federal Government in the prescribed manner for making an order for the 
dissolution of the association. 
 (3) If an application is made to it under sub -section (2), or if it has reason to believe that a 
foreign cultural association has acted or is acting in contravention of its constitution or of the 
provisions of section 3, the Federal Government may, by order in writing after giving the  association  
an  opportunity  of  being  heard,  direct  that  the  associ ation  shall  stand dissolved on and from 
such date as may be specified in the order. 
 (4) Where an order of dissolution has been made otherwise than on an application made 
under sub -section (2), the foreign cultural association to which the order relates or any member 
thereof aggrieved by the order may apply to the Federal Government for a review of the order; and 
the order of the Federal Government passed after giving the applicant an opportunity of being heard 
shall be final and shall not be questioned, or be permitted to be questioned, by or before any court. 
 (5) Subject to any order of the Federal Government in review under sub -section (4) , the 
dissolution of a foreign cultural association in pursuance of an order of the Federal Government 
under sub-section (3) shall be deemed to be a dissolution in accordance with the provisions of the 
constitution of the association and the affairs of association shall be wound up in accordance with 
those provisions. 
 6. Consequences of dissolution. ___Where any foreig n cultural association is dissolved, the 
association or any of its members shall not engage itself or himself in any activities other than such 
as may be necessary for the winding up of its affairs. 
 7. Government servant not to become member of a foreign cultural association. ___ 
Without prejudice to the provisions of any law for the time being in force no person in the service of 
the Federal Government or a Provincial Government shall, without the prior permission in writing of 
such Government, become a member or office-bearer of any foreign cultural association. 
 
 
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 8. Members not to obtain pecuniary advantage.  ___No member of a foreign cultural 
association shall, by virtue of being such member, obtain any pecuniary advantage for himself or any 
other person. 
 9. Acceptance of foreign assistance.  ___No foreign cultural association shall, without the 
previous permission in writing of the Federal Government accept any assistance or aid, in any form 
whatever, from the government or any other authority, body or org anization of a foreign country or 
from a national thereof. 
 10. Financial assistance by foreign cultural association prohibited.  ___No foreign cultural 
association shall, directly or through any person or in any other manner make any contribution of 
money or other thing of value, or promise, expressly or impliedly, to make any such contribution in 
connection with an election to a political office or in connection with  any  election  to  the  National  
Assembly,  the  Senate  or  a  Provincial  Assembly  of Pakistan. 
 11. Destruction, etc. of books and records prohibited.  ___No person shall willfully conceal, 
destroy, obliterate or mutilate, or attempt to conceal, destroy, obliterate or mutilate, or cause to be 
concealed, destroyed, obliterated or mutilated,  any books or records of any foreign cultural 
association required to be kept under this Act. 
 12. Filing of copies of political propaganda.  ___Every foreign cultural association which, 
and every member of such association who, transmits by po st or otherwise any political propaganda 
for or in the interests of such association in the form of prints or in any other form which is 
reasonably adapted to being, or which it or he believes will be, or which it or he intends to  be 
disseminated or circulated among two or more persons shall— 
(a)  conspicuously  mark  such  political  propaganda  at  its  beginning  with,  or 
preface it by or attach to it, a true and accurate statement, in the language used 
in such propaganda, setting forth the connection or relationshi p between the 
association or, as the case may be, such member and the political propaganda; 
and 
(b)  not later than forty -eight hours after its transmission, file with the Federal 
Government two copies thereof and a statement, duly signed by a member on 
behalf of the association or by such member on his own behalf setting forth 
full information as to the places, times and extent of such transmission. 
 Explanation.___In this section, “political propaganda ” includes any oral, visual, graphic,  
written, pictorial or other communication or expression by any person which is reasonably adapted 
to, or which the person disseminating the same believes will , or which he intends to,  prevail upon, 
convert, induce, or in any other way influence a recipient or any section of the public within Pakistan 
with reference to the political or public interests, policies or relations of the government of a foreign 
country or a foreign political party or with reference to the foreign policies of Pakistan or promote in 
Pakistan racial, parochial, religious or social dissension, or which advocates, advises, instigates or 
promotes any racial, parochial, social , political or religious disorder, civil riot or other conflict 
involving the use of force or violence or the overthrow of the Gov ernment established by law in 
Pakistan, by any means involving the use of force or violence. 
 13. Penalties and procedure.___ (1) Any person who— 
 
 
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(a)  contravenes or does not comply with, any of the provisions of this Act or any 
rule or order made thereunder; 
(b)  is a member  or office-bearer of a foreign cultural association formed or 
functioning in contravention of section 3; or 
(c)  in any report or statement submitted under this Act to the Federal Government 
or other authority, makes any false statement or false representation; 
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which 
may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both. 
 (2) No Court shall take cognizance of an offence under this Act except upon a co mplaint in 
writing made by or under the authority of the Federal Government. 
 14. Indemnity. ___No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person 
for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act. 
 15. Power to make rules.  ___The Federal Government may, by notification in the official 
Gazette make rules for carrying into effect the provisions of this Act. 
 16. Delegation of Powers.  ___The Federal Government may, by order, direct that any power  
conferred  on  it  by  this  Act  shall,  in  such  circumstances  and  subject  to  such conditions, if any, 
as may be specified in the direction, be exercisable also— 
(a)  by any officer or authority subordinate to the Federal Government; or 
(b)  by any Provinci al Government or by any officer or authority subordinate to 
such Government. 
 17. 1[Omitted]  
 
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RGN Date: 08-05-2024  
 
1Omitted by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Ordinance No. XXVII of 1981, s.3 and sch.II.