{ "schema_version": "qanun-law-text/1", "id": "punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e", "title": "PUNJAB TRIBUNALS OF INQUIRY ORDINANCE, 1969", "source_collection": "Punjab", "content_kind": "stored_law_text", "content_extent": null, "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/UGVTZgExADk-", "version": null, "source_snapshot": "2026-08-06T17:01:11Z", "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": "69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64", "source_sha256": "69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64", "text_version_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64", "quality_flags": [], "encoding": "UTF-8", "text": "THE PUNJAB TRIBUNALS OF INQUIRY ORDINANCE, 1969 \r\n(II of 1969) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n2. Definitions \r\n3. Appointment of Tribunal, Commission or Committee of Inquiry \r\n4. Powers of Tribunal \r\n5. Additional powers of Tribunal \r\n6. Statements made by persons to the Tribunal \r\n7. Tribunal to cease to exist when so notified \r\n8. Procedure to be followed by the Tribunal \r\n9. Protection of action taken in good faith \r\n10. Members, etc., to be public servants \r\n11. Conferment of powers \r\n12. Act to apply to other inquiring authorities in certain cases \r\n13. Powers to frame rules \r\n \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE \r\n2\r\n[PUNJAB] TRIBUNALS OF INQUIRY ORDINANCE, 1969 \r\n(II of 1969) \r\n[14th April, 1969] \r\nAn \r\nOrdinance \r\nto provide for the appointment of Tribunals of Inquiry and for vesting such Tribunals \r\nwith certain powers. \r\nPreamble.– WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the appointment of Tribunals of \r\nInquiry and for vesting such Tribunals with certain powers; \r\nNOW, THEREFORE , in pursuance of the Martial Law Proclamation of 25th \r\nMarch, 1969, read with the Provisional Constitution Order, the Administrator of \r\nMartial Law, Zone A, in exercise of the powers of the Governor of West Pakistan \r\nconferred on him by the Chief Martial Law Administrator, is pleased to make and \r\npromulgate the following Ordinance:– \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement. – (1) This Ordinance may be called \r\nthe \r\n3\r\n[Punjab] Tribunals of Inquiry Ordinance, 1969. \r\n(2) It extends to the whole of the Province of \r\n4\r\n[the Punjab], except the \r\nTribal Areas. \r\n(3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requ ires, the \r\nfollowing expressions shall have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to \r\nthem:– \r\n(a) “Government” means the \r\n5\r\n[Provincial Government of the Punjab]; \r\n(b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under section 13; and \r\n(c) “Tribunal” means a T ribunal appointed or deemed to have been \r\nappointed under section 3, and includes a Commission or Committee \r\nof Inquiry appointed under the said section. \r\n \r\n1This Ordinance was promulgated by the Administrator, Martial Law, Zone „A‟ on 10th April, 1969; published in the West \r\nPakistan Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 14th April, 1969, pages 543-547; saved by Article 281 of the Interim Constitution of the \r\nIslamic Republic of Pakistan (1972); and, validated by the Validtion of Laws Act, 1975 (LXIII of 1975). \r\n2Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (P.O. No. 1 of 1974), w.e.f. 14.8.1973, \r\nArticle 2 and the Schedule; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 20.11.1974, pages 1425-A to 1425-PP. \r\n3Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (P.O. No. 1 of 1974), w.e.f. 14.8.1973, \r\nArticle 2 and the Schedule; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 20.11.1974, pages 1425-A to 1425-PP. \r\n4Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (P.O. No. 1 of 1974), w.e.f. 14.8.1973, \r\nArticle 2 and the Schedule; and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 20.11.1974, pages 1425-A to 1425-PP. \r\n5Substituted for the words “Government of West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (P.O. No. 1 of 1974), \r\nw.e.f. 14.8.1973, Article 2 and the Schedule; and published in the Punja b Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 20.11.1974, pages \r\n1425-A to 1425-PP. \r\n3. Appointment of Tribunal, Commission or Committee of Inquiry. – (1) \r\nGovernment may, if it is of opinion that it is necessary so to do, by notification in the \r\nofficial Gazette, appoint a Tribunal, Commission or Committee of Inquiry for the \r\npurpose of making an inquiry into any definite matter of public importance and \r\nperforming such functions and within such time as may be specified in the \r\nnotification, and the Tribunal, Commission or Committee so appointed shall make \r\nthe inquiry and perform the function accordingly. \r\n(2) The Tribunal may consist of one or more members appointed by \r\nGovernment, and where the Tr ibunal consists of more than one member, one of \r\nthem may be appointed as the President or Chairman thereof. \r\n4. Powers of Tribunal. – The Tribunal shall have the powers of a civil court, \r\nwhile trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908\r\n6\r\n, in respec t of the \r\nfollowing matters, namely:– \r\n(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining \r\nhim on oath; \r\n(b) requiring the discovery and production of any document; \r\n(c) receiving evidence on affidavits; \r\n(d) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents. \r\n5. Additional powers of Tribunal. – (1) Where Government is of opinion that, \r\nhaving regard to the nature of the inquiry to be made and other circumstances of the \r\ncase, all or any of the provisions of sub -section (2) or sub -section (3) or sub -section \r\n(4) or sub -section (5) or sub -section (6) should be made applicable to a Tribunal, \r\nGovernment may, by notification in the official Gazette, direct that all or such of the \r\nsaid provisions as may be specified in the notification sh all apply to that Tribunal, \r\nand on the issue of such a notification, the said provisions shall apply accordingly. \r\n(2) The Tribunal shall have power to require any person, subject to any \r\nprivilege which may be claimed by that person under any law for the ti me being in \r\nforce, to furnish information on such points or matters as, in the opinion of the \r\nTribunal, may be useful for, or relevant to, the subject matter of the inquiry. \r\n(3) The President or the Chairman of the Tribunal, or any officer, not below \r\nthe rank of a gazetted officer, specially authorised in this behalf by Government may \r\nenter any building or place where the Tribunal has reason to believe that any books \r\nof account or other documents relating to the subject matter of the inquiry may be \r\nfound, and may seize any such books of account or documents or take extracts or \r\ncopies therefrom, subject to the provisions of section 102 and section 103 of the \r\nCode of Criminal Procedure, 1898\r\n7\r\n, in so far as they may be applicable. \r\n(4) The Tribunal shall be deem ed to be a civil court and when any offence \r\nas is described in section 175, section 178, section 179, section 180 or section 228 \r\nof the Pakistan Penal Code\r\n8\r\n, is committed in the view or presence of the Tribunal, \r\nthe Tribunal may, after recording the facts constituting the offence and the statement \r\n \r\n6Act V of 1908. \r\n7Act V of 1898. \r\n8Act XLV of 1860. \r\nof the accused as provided for in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898\r\n9\r\n, forward the \r\ncase to a magistrate having jurisdiction to try the same and the magistrate to whom \r\nany such case is forwarded shall proceed to hear the complaint against the accused \r\nas if the case had been forwarded to him under section 482 of the Code of Criminal \r\nProcedure, 1898\r\n10\r\n. \r\n(5) Any proceeding before the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a judicial \r\nproceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Pakistan Penal Code\r\n11\r\n. \r\n(6) The Tribunal shall have the powers of a civil court, while trying a suit \r\nunder the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908\r\n12\r\n, in respect of requisitioning any public \r\nrecord or copy thereof from any court or office. \r\n6. Statements made by persons to the Tribunal. – No statement made by a \r\nperson in the course of giving evidence before the Tribunal shall subject him to, or \r\nbe used against him in, any civil or criminal proceeding except a prosecution for \r\ngiving false evidence by such statement: \r\nProvided that the statement– \r\n(a) is made in reply to a question which he is required by the Tribunal to \r\nanswer; or \r\n(b) is relevant to the subject matter of inquiry. \r\n7. Tribunal to cease to exist when so notified. – Government may, if it is of \r\nopinion that the continued existence of a Tribunal is unnecessary, by notification in \r\nthe official Gazette, declare that the Tribunal shall cease to exist from such date as \r\nmay be specified in this behalf in such notification, and thereupon, the Tribunal s hall \r\ncease to exist. \r\n8. Procedure to be followed by the Tribunal. – The Tribunal shall, subject to \r\nany rules that may be made in this behalf, have power to regulate its own procedure \r\n(including the fixing of places and times of its sittings and deciding whe ther to sit in \r\npublic or in private) and may act notwithstanding the temporary absence of any \r\nmember or the existence of a vacancy among its members. \r\n9. Protection of action taken in good faith.– No suit or other legal proceedings \r\nshall lie against Governm ent, the Tribunal or any member thereof, or any person \r\nacting under the direction either of Government or of the Tribunal in respect of \r\nanything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this \r\nOrdinance or of any rules or orders mad e thereunder or in respect of the publication, \r\nby or under the authority of Government or the Tribunal, of any report, paper or \r\nproceedings. \r\n10. Members, etc., to be public servants. – Every member of the Tribunal and \r\nevery officer appointed or authorised b y the Tribunal to exercise functions under this \r\n \r\n9Act V of 1898. \r\n10Act V of 1898. \r\n11Act XLV of 1860. \r\n12Act V of 1908. \r\nOrdinance shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 \r\nof the Pakistan Penal Code\r\n13\r\n. \r\n11. Conferment of powers. – (1) Government may, by notification in the official \r\nGazette, and subject to such conditions or restrictions, if any, as may be mentioned \r\nin the notification confer upon the Tribunal the power to order a police investigation \r\ninto any matter coming before it. \r\n(2) In conducting an investigation ordered under sub -section (1) the police \r\nshall exercise the powers conferred on the police in respect of a cognizable case by \r\nChapter XIV of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898\r\n14\r\n. \r\n12. Act to apply to other inquiring authorities in certain cases. – Where any \r\nauthority (by whatever name call ed), other than a Tribunal appointed under section \r\n3, has been or is set up under any resolution or order of Government for the purpose \r\nof making an inquiry into any definite matter of public importance and Government is \r\nof opinion that any of the provisio ns of this Ordinance should be made applicable to \r\nthat authority, Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, direct that the \r\nsaid provisions of this Ordinance shall apply to that authority, and on the issue of \r\nsuch notification , that authorit y shall be deemed to be a Tribunal appointed under \r\nsection 3 for the purpose of this Ordinance. \r\n13 Powers to frame rules. – Government may, by notification in the official \r\nGazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Ordinance. \r\n \r\n13Act XLV of 1860. \r\n14Act V of 1898.", "passage_offset_convention": "zero-based Unicode code points and UTF8 bytes; end exclusive", "passages": [ { "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64:chars-0-1793:0399fe724b99e237f680d49f2da8672e936e684b6ef8331fe4bd923818b3909a", "character_start": 0, "character_end": 1793, "utf8_byte_start": 0, "utf8_byte_end": 1803, "passage_sha256": "0399fe724b99e237f680d49f2da8672e936e684b6ef8331fe4bd923818b3909a", "reader_fragment": "p-0-1793-0399fe724b99e237" }, { "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64:chars-1793-3567:4fcbd1e4aaaff2c5d223153499635da636f521388d0deff72a8c68757f6d158c", "character_start": 1793, "character_end": 3567, "utf8_byte_start": 1803, "utf8_byte_end": 3609, "passage_sha256": "4fcbd1e4aaaff2c5d223153499635da636f521388d0deff72a8c68757f6d158c", "reader_fragment": "p-1793-3567-4fcbd1e4aaaff2c5" }, { "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64:chars-3567-5301:6a706c90aaf3f0ee0802c496281f64cb647f22f535a2e242a50810c7e38916b5", "character_start": 3567, "character_end": 5301, "utf8_byte_start": 3609, "utf8_byte_end": 5351, "passage_sha256": "6a706c90aaf3f0ee0802c496281f64cb647f22f535a2e242a50810c7e38916b5", "reader_fragment": "p-3567-5301-6a706c90aaf3f0ee" }, { "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64:chars-5301-7092:0790ffec55a53fdd49b999680222cc56524040552112f5e63a913e2f0640ebaf", "character_start": 5301, "character_end": 7092, "utf8_byte_start": 5351, "utf8_byte_end": 7142, "passage_sha256": "0790ffec55a53fdd49b999680222cc56524040552112f5e63a913e2f0640ebaf", "reader_fragment": "p-5301-7092-0790ffec55a53fdd" }, { "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64:chars-7092-8890:e40546f8f5f83c6302f0e1addf9b296691153e8da3692527bae5160b9a82a3b2", "character_start": 7092, "character_end": 8890, "utf8_byte_start": 7142, "utf8_byte_end": 8950, "passage_sha256": "e40546f8f5f83c6302f0e1addf9b296691153e8da3692527bae5160b9a82a3b2", "reader_fragment": "p-7092-8890-e40546f8f5f83c63" }, { "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64:chars-8890-10609:00adc2fa5d8069f28b0cc9e4eb0941bd38fa45bb9bf25a79b01a1d1466f0fd3d", "character_start": 8890, "character_end": 10609, "utf8_byte_start": 8950, "utf8_byte_end": 10675, "passage_sha256": "00adc2fa5d8069f28b0cc9e4eb0941bd38fa45bb9bf25a79b01a1d1466f0fd3d", "reader_fragment": "p-8890-10609-00adc2fa5d8069f2" }, { "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-1895e9442ec11c2e:sha256:69f88b00d78ddb6a95be75eff622f771b783a4e484363dec68e8052ce75b4e64:chars-10609-11154:30fb712b64fbbeef819ea9cafabb02c6767299cf952a171bc5a34cc52e154267", "character_start": 10609, "character_end": 11154, "utf8_byte_start": 10675, "utf8_byte_end": 11222, "passage_sha256": "30fb712b64fbbeef819ea9cafabb02c6767299cf952a171bc5a34cc52e154267", "reader_fragment": "p-10609-11154-30fb712b64fbbeef" } ] }