PUNJAB BORDER MILITARY POLICE ACT, 1904

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CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Power to maintain Border Military Police Force 
4. Constitution of the Force 
5. Appointment and powers of superior officers 
6. Appointment of subordinate officers and personnel 
7. Superintendence, control and administration 
8. More heinous offences 
9. Less heinous offences 
 10. Minor punishments 
 11. Place of imprisonment 
 12. Resignation and withdrawal from Force 
 13. General duties of Military Police-officers 
 14. Conferment of powers and imposition of duties 
 15. Protection for acts of Military Police-officers 
 16. Jurisdiction of Courts 
 17. Appeal etc 
 18. Application of the Act on Baluch Levy 
 19. Rules 
THE SCHEDULE 
Conditions of Service 
(IV of 1904) 
THE PUNJAB BORDER MILITARY POLICE ACT, 1904 
 
TEXT 
1
THE PUNJAB BORDER MILITARY POLICE ACT, 1904 
(IV of 1904) 
[5 March 1904] 
An 
Act 
to provide for the Regulation of the Border Military Police Force in the 
2
[notified tribal areas of 
the Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts of the Punjab]. 
3
[Whereas it is expedient to provide for the regulation of Border Military Police Force 
in the notified tribal areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts of the Punjab;] 
  It is hereby enacted as follows:– 
  
4
[1.  Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be called the Punjab 
Border Military Police Act, 1904. 
(2)  It extends to such notified tribal areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur 
districts as may be notified by the Government. 
(3)  It shall come into force at once.] 
2.  Definitions.– In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context,– 
(a) “Military Police-officer” means a person who, at the commencement of this 
Act, is serving in th e Border Military Police Force, or who, after the 
commencement of this Act, has been appointed to the Border Military Police 
Force under this Act and has signed a recruiting roll on which the conditions 
of service contained in the schedule are set forth: 
5
[(b) “Commandant” means a person appointed under section 5:] 
(c) “active service” means service against   hostile tribes or  raiders or against 
other persons in the field: 
6
[*] 
7
[(d) the expressions, “assault”, “criminal force”, “fraudulently”, “reason to  believe” 
and “voluntarily causing hurt” used herein shall have the same meanings as 
assigned to them in the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 (XLV of 1860):] 
8
[(e) “Government” means the Government of the Punjab: and 
                                                
1This Act was published in the G azette of India, dated: 5 March 1904, pp. 13 -17. It was adopted by the Punjab by the Punjab 
Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007) , published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 
2007, pp. 5667-5671. 
2Substituted for the words “North West -Frontier Province” by the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 
2007), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 2. 
3Substituted ibid., s. 3. 
4Ibid., s. 4. 
5Ibid., s. 5. 
6The word “and” was omitted ibid. 
7Substituted ibid. 
8Inserted by the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 5. 
(f) “Senior Commandant” means a person appointed or authorized as Senior 
Commandant under section 5.] 
1
[3.  Power to maintain Border Military Police Force .– The Government may maintain 
a force to be called the Border Military Police Force for the better protection of the notified 
tribal areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts.] 
  
2
[4.  Constitution of the Force .– The Border Military Police Force shall c onsist of such 
number of officers and personnel, and shall be constituted in such manner and the members of 
such force shall receive such pay, pension and other remuneration, as may be notified by the 
Government.] 
  
3
[5.  Appointment and powers of superior o fficers.– (1) The Government may appoint 
Senior Commandant, Commandant and other superior officers of the Border Military Police 
Force. 
(2)  The Senior Commandant shall be an officer of the Government not below the 
rank of BS-18. 
(3)  The Senior Commandant, the Commandant and every other officer so 
appointed, shall possess, and may exercise, such power and authority over the subordinate 
officers and members of the Force as is provided by or under this Act.] 
  
4
[6.  Appointment of subordinate officers and person nel.– (1) The Senior 
Commandant and Commandant shall appoint subordinate officers and the personnel of the 
Border Military Police Force on the terms and conditions as may be prescribed in the rules. 
(2)  The subordinate officers and the personnel of the Border Military Police Force 
shall perform such functions and exercise such powers as may be prescribed in the rules.] 
  
5
[7.  Superintendence, control and administration .– (1) The superintendence and 
control of the Border Military Police Force shall vest in the Government. 
(2)  The Border Military Police Force shall be administered by the Senior 
Commandant and the Commandant respectively in accordance with this Act and the rules 
made thereunder.] 
8.  More heinous offences.– (1) Every Military Police-officer who– 
(a) begins, excites, causes or joins in any mutiny or sedition, or being present at 
any mutiny or sedition, does not use his utmost endeavours to suppress it, or 
knowing, or having reason to believe in, the existence of any mutiny, or of any 
intention to  mutiny, does not, without delay, give information thereof to his 
commanding or other superior officer; or 
(b) uses, or attempts to use, criminal force to, or commits an assault on, his 
superior officer, whether on or off duty; or 
(c) shamefully abandons o r delivers up any garrison, fortress, post or guard 
which is committed to his charge or which it is his duty to defend; or 
                                                
1Substituted ibid., s. 6. 
2Ibid., s. 7. 
3Ibid., s. 8. 
4Ibid., s. 9. 
5Ibid., s. 10. 
(d) directly or indirectly holds correspondence with, or assists or relieves, any 
person in arms against the State, or omits to disco ver immediately to his 
commanding or other superior officer any such correspondence coming to his 
knowledge; or  
who, while on active service,– 
(e) disobeys the lawful command of his superior officer; or 
(f) deserts the service; or, 
(g) being a sentry, sle eps upon his post, or quits it without being regularly 
relieved or without leave; or, 
(h) without authority, leaves his commanding officer, or his post or party, to go in 
search of plunder; or 
(i) quits his guard, picquet, party or patrol without being regularly relieved or 
without leave; or 
(j) uses criminal force to, or commits an assault on, any person bringing 
provisions or other necessaries to camp or quarters, or forces a safeguard or, 
without authority, breaks into any house or any other place for  plunder, or 
plunders, destroys or damages any property of any kind; or 
(k) intentionally causes or spreads a false alarm in action or in camp, garrison or 
quarters; or 
(l) displays cowardice in the execution of his duty; 
1
[shall be punishable:– 
(i) for death or for imprisonment for life or for imprisonment for a term which may 
extend to seven years for the offence described in clause (a), clause (c) and 
clause (d); and 
(ii) for the offences described in clause (b), clause (e), clause (f), clause (g), 
clause (h), clause (i), clause (j), clause (k) and clause (l), for imprisonment 
which may extend to seven years and with such fine which may extend to 
three months’ pay.] 
2
[(2) Whoever commits any of the offences described in sub -section (1), shall be 
tried in such manner as may be prescribed.] 
3
[(3) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *] 
4
[(4) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *] 
9.  Less heinous offences.– 
5
[(1)] Every Military Police-officer who– 
(a) is in a state of intoxication when on or for any duty, or on parade or on the line 
of march; or 
                                                
1Substituted for the expression “shall be punishable, with transportation for life or for a term not less than seven years, or with 
imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years, or with fine, which may extend to three months’ pay, or with 
sentence of  transportation or imprisonment, as the case may be as may be passed upon him under this section.” by the Punjab 
Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 
2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 11. 
2Substituted by the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 11. 
3Omitted ibid. 
4Ibid. 
5Renumbered ibid., s. 12. 
(b) strikes or attempts to force any sentry; or, 
(c) being in command of a guard, picquet or patrol, refuses to receive any 
prisoner duly committed to his charge, or, without proper authority, releases 
any prisoner, or negligently suffers any prisoner to escape; or, 
(d) being under arrest or in confinement, leaves his arrest or confinement before 
he is set at liberty by proper authority; or 
(e) is grossly insubordinate or insolent to his superior officer in the execution of 
his office; or 
(f) refuses to superintendent or assist in the making of any field -work or other 
work of any description ordered to be made either in quarters or in the field; or 
(g) strikes or otherwise ill -uses any Military Police -officer subordinate to h im in 
rank or position; or, 
(h) being in command at any post or on the march and  receiving a complaint that 
anyone under his command has beaten or otherwise maltreated or oppressed 
any person, or has committed any riot or trespass, fails, on proof of the t ruth 
of the complaint, to have due reparation made as far as possible to the 
injured person and to report the case to the proper authority; or 
(i) designedly or through neglect injures or loses, or fraudulently disposes of, his 
arms, cloths, tools, equipments, ammunition, accoutrements or Military Police 
necessaries, or any such articles entrusted to him or belonging to any other 
person; or 
(j) malingers, or feigns or produces disease or infirmity in himself, or intentionally 
delays his cure, or aggravates his disease or infirmity; or, 
(k) with intent to render himself or any other person unfit for service, voluntarily 
causes hurt to himself or any other person; or 
(l) does not, when called upon by his superior officer so to do, or upon ceasing 
to be a Milit ary Police-officer, forthwith deliver up, or duly account for, all or 
any arms, ammunition, stores, accoutrements, appointments or other property 
issued or supplied to him, or in his custody or possession, as such Military 
Police-officer; or 
who, while not on active service,– 
(m) disobeys the lawful command of his superior officer; or 
(n) plunders, destroys or damages any property of any kind; or, 
(o) being a sentry, sleeps upon his post or quits it without being regularly relieved 
or without leave; or 
(p) deserts the service; 
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or 
with fine which may extend to three months’ pay, or with both. 
 
1
[(2) Whoever commits any of the offences described in sub -section (1), shall be 
tried in such manner as may be prescribed.] 
10.  Minor punishments.– (1) The 
2
[Senior Commandant] and the Commandant, 
respectively, may, subject to any rules made under this Act, award, in lieu of, or in addition to, 
                                                
1Inserted by the Punjab Border Military Police  (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 12. 
2Substituted ibid., for the words “Deputy Commissioner” s. 13. 
suspension or dismissal, any of the following punishments to any Military Police-officer who is, 
in the opinion of the 
1
[Senior Commandant] or Commandant, as the case may be, guilty of 
disobedience, neglect of duty or remissness in the discharge of any duty, or of rendering himself 
unfit to discharge his duty, or of other misconduct in his capacity as such Military Police-officer, 
that is to say,– 
(a) reduction in rank and emoluments; 
(b) fine to any amount not exceeding one month’s pay and allowances; 
(c) confinement to quarters for a term not exceeding one month; 
(d) confinement in the quarter -guard for not more than fifteen days, with 
or without punishment-drill or extra guard, fatigue or other duty; 
(e) removal from any office of distinction or special emolument in the 
force. 
(2) The 
2
[Senior Commandant], or the Commandant, or an officer, not being below 
the rank of subadar, commanding a separate detachment or an outpost or in 
temporary command at the head-quarters of a district during the absence of the 
3
[Senior Commandant] and Commandant, may, without a formal trial, award to 
any Military Police-officer who is subject to his authority any of the following 
punishments for the commission of any petty offence against discipline, which is 
not otherwise provided for in this Act, or which is not of a sufficiently serious 
nature to call for a prosecution before a Criminal Court, that is to say,– 
(a) confinement for not more than seven days in the quarter-guard or such 
other place as may be considered suitable, with forfeiture of all pay and 
allowances during its continuance; 
(b) punishment-drill, or extra guard, fatigue or other duty, for not more 
than thirty days, with or without confinement to quarters. 
(3)  Any one of  the punishments described in sub -section (1) or sub -section (2) 
may be awarded separately or in combination with any one or more of the said punishments 
respectively. 
  
4
[11. Place of imprisonment.– (1) Any person sentenced under this Act to imprisonment 
for a period not exceeding three months shall, if he is also dismissed from the Border Military 
Police Force, be imprisoned in the nearest prison or such other prison as the Government 
may, by general or special order, direct. 
(2)  Any person sentenced under  this Act to imprisonment for a period not 
exceeding three months but is not dismissed from the Border Military Police Force, he may, 
if the court or the Senior Commandant so directs, be confined in the quarter -guard or such 
other place as the court or the Senior Commandant may consider suitable.] 
12.  Resignation and withdrawal from Force .– No Military Police -officer shall be at 
liberty to– 
(a) resign his appointment during the term of his engagement, except before the 
expiration of the first three months of his service, or 
                                                
1Ibid. 
2Substituted for the words “Deputy Commissioner” by the Pu njab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 13. 
3Ibid. 
4Substituted ibid., s.14. 
(b) withdraw himself from all or any of the duties of his appointment, 
without the permission in writing (to be previously obtained) of the 
1
[Senior 
Commandant] or Commandant or other officer authorised by the 
2
[Senior 
Commandant] to grant such permission. 
13.  General duties of Military Police -officers.– 
3
[*] It shall be the duty of every Military 
Police-officer promptly to obey and to execute all orders and warrants lawfully issued to him 
by any competent authority, to detect and bring offenders to justice, and to apprehend all 
persons whom he is legally authorised to apprehend and for whose apprehension sufficient 
grounds exist. 
   
4
[(2) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *] 
  
5
[14. Conferment of powers and imposition of duties .– The Government may, by 
general or special order, confer or impose upon any Military Police Officer any of the powers 
or duties conferred or imposed on a Police Officer of any class or grade by any enactment 
for the time being in force.] 
15.  Protection for acts of Military Police -officers.– (1) In any suit or proceeding 
against any Military Police-officer for any act done by him in pursuance of a warrant or order 
of a competent authority, it sh all be lawful for him to plead that such act was d one by him 
under the authority of such warrant or order. 
(2)  Such plea may be proved by the production of the warrant or order directing 
the act, and, if it is so proved, such Military Police-officer shall thereupon be discharged from 
liability in respect of the act so done by him, notwithstanding any defect in the jurisdiction of 
the authority which issued such warrant or order. 
(3)  All suits and proceedings (whether civil or criminal) against any person which 
may lawfully be brought for anything done or i ntended to be done under the powers 
conferred by, or in pursuance of, any provision of this Act or the rules thereunder, shall be 
commenced within three months after the act complained of was committed, and not 
otherwise; and notice in writing of such suit  or proceeding and of the cause thereof shall be 
given to the defendant or his superior officer one month at least before the commencement 
of the suit or proceeding. 
  
6
[16. Jurisdiction  of  Courts.–  Notwithstanding  anything  contained in the Code of 
Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898), the Government may, in consultation with the 
Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, by notification in the official Gazette, establish a 
court or confer jurisdiction on a court of Sessions or Judicial Magistrate o f the First Class to 
try cases or any class of cases under this Act.] 
                                                
1Substituted for the words “Deputy Commissioner” by the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 15. 
2Ibid. 
3Subsection (1) was renumbered as section 13 ibid., s. 16. 
4Omitted ibid. 
5Substituted ibid., s. 17. 
6Substituted by the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 18. 
  
1
[17. Appeal etc .– (1) Any person convicted by the court established or conferred with 
powers under this Act, may within thirty days from the date of such order, prefer an appeal in 
accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code 1898 (V of 1898). 
(2)  Any Military Police Officer, who has been awarded minor punishment under 
section 10 by the Commandant or the Senior Commandant, shall have a right of appeal to 
the Senior Commandant or the Government respectively.] 
  
2
[18. Application of the Act on Baluch Levy.– (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in 
any other law for the time being in force, the provisions of this Act shall, mutatis mutandis, 
apply to the Baluch Levy within the notified triba l areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur 
districts. 
(2)  The Government may, by notification, apply with such modifications, as it may 
think fit, any of the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder to any other force or 
body maintained for simila r service within the notified tribal areas of Dera Ghazi Khan and 
Rajanpur districts.] 
  
3
[19. Rules.– The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for:– 
(a) regulating the appointment, powers and functions of the Senior Commandan t 
and the Commandant, respectively under this Act; 
(b) regulating the classes, grades, condition of service and the remuneration to 
be paid to the officers and personnel of the Border Military Police Force; 
(c) regulating the procedure for trial of Militar y Police Officers and appeals under 
sub-section (2) of section 17; and 
(d) generally, for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act.] 
                                                
1Substituted by the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007  (V of 2007), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 19. 
2Ibid, s. 20. 
3Ibid, s. 21. 
 
 
1
[THE SCHEDULE 
Conditions of Service 
[see section 2(a)] 
  After you have served for (such period, as  the Government may have prescribed in 
this behalf), in the Border Military Police Force maintained under the Punjab Border Military 
Police Act, 1904, you may, at any time, when not on active service, apply for your discharge, 
through the officer to whom y ou may be subordinate, to the Commandant or to the Senior 
Commandant, and you will be granted your discharge after three months from the date of 
your application, unless your discharge would cause the vacancies in the said Force to 
exceed one-tenth of the sanctioned strength, in which case you shall be bound to remain in 
the Force until this objection is waived by the competent authority or removed by it. But 
when on active service, you shall have no claim to a discharge and you shall be bound to 
remain to do your duty until the necessity for retaining you in the Force ceases, when you 
may make your application in the manner hereinbefore prescribed. In the event of your re -
enlistment after you have been discharged, you shall have no claim to reckon for pensi on or 
other purposes your service previous to your discharge: 
Provided that, if you wish to withdraw from the Force, you may resign at any time 
before the expiration of first three months of your service, but not afterwards until the 
completion of the period prescribed as aforesaid: 
Provided also that the Commandant or the Senior Commandant may, if he thinks fit, 
allow you to resign at any time on your giving three months’ notice of your wish to do so.] 
 
 
                                                
1Substituted by the Punjab Border Military Police (Amendment) Act, 2007 (V of 2007), published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated: 30 June 2007, pp. 5667-5671, s. 22.