PUNJAB VAGRANCY ORDINANCE, 1958

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THE PUNJAB VAGRANCY ORDINANCE, 1958 
(XX of 1958) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Welfare homes. 
4. Manager. 
5. Duties of the manager. 
6. Voluntary admission to welfare homes. 
7. Powers of police officer to arrest and sea rch vagrants and to seize 
things liable to confiscation. 
8. Trial. 
9. Sentence for vagrancy. 
10. Punishment for organizing, employing or causing a person or chi ld to 
ask for alms. 
11. Presumption. 
12. Detention of dependents. 
13. Compulsory contribution by persons bound to maintain vagrants. 
14. Place of detention or imprisonment. 
15. Transfer of vagrants from welfare homes. 
16. Release on probation or short leave. 
17. Powers of discharge of vagrants from welfare homes. 
18. Effect of other laws and enactments. 
19. Cognizance and bail. 
20. Jurisdiction. 
21. Appeal. 
22. Persons to be deemed to be public servants. 
23. Indemnity. 
24. Articles liable to confiscation. 
25. Power to make rules. 
26. Repeal. 
TEXT 
1
THE 
2
[PUNJAB] VAGRANCY ORDINANCE, 1958 
(XX of 1958) 
[1 October 1958] 
An 
Ordinance 
to amend and consolidate the law relating to vagrancy in the Province of 
3
[the 
Punjab]. 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is expedient to amend and consolidate the law relating to  
vagrancy in the Province of 
4
[the Punjab] in the manner hereinafter appearing; 
 AND WHEREAS the Provincial Assembly of West Pakistan is not in session 
and the Governor of West Pakistan is satisfied that circumstances exist which render 
immediate action necessary; 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 102 of the 
Constitution, the Governor of West Pakistan is pleased to ma ke and promulgate the 
following Ordinance:– 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Ordinance may be called 
the 
5
[Punjab] Vagrancy Ordinance, 1958. 
6
[(2) It extends to the whole of the Province of  
7
[the Punjab] , except the Tribal 
Areas.] 
 (3) It shall come into force in such area or areas and on such date or dates 
as Government may, by notification, direct. 
2. Definitions.– In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires, the 
following expressions shall have the meanings hereby respectiv ely assigned to 
them, that is to say– 
(a) “child” means a person under the age of fourteen years; 
(b) “Controller” means the Controller of Vagrancy, 
1
[Punjab]; 
                                                                 
1This Ordinance was promulgated by the Governor of West Pakistan on October 1, 1958 (XX of 1958), published in the Gazette 
of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated Oct ober 1, 1958, pp. 1343-1350; saved and given permanent effect by Article 225 of 
the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1962). 
2Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (I of 1974) (w.e.f.  14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20,  1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 17. 
3Ibid. 
4Ibid. 
5Ibid. 
6Substituted by the West Pakistan Laws (Extension to Karachi) Ordinance, 1964 (VII of 1964), published in the Gazette of West 
Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated May 25, 1964, pp. 1679-1688, s. 2 read with Schedule, Serial No. 15. 
7Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (I of 1974) (w.e.f.  14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20,  1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 17. 
(c) “Government” means the 
2
[Provincial Government of the Punjab]; 
(d) “guardian” in relation to a child, includes any person who in the opinion 
of the court having cognizance of any case in which a child is 
concerned, has for the time being the charge of or control over such 
child; 
3
[(da) “organizer” means a person who organizes or employs or causes  to  
employ one or more person or child for the purpose of vagrancy;  
(db)  “person” includes a transgender person as defined in the Transgender 
Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 (XIII of 2018);] 
(e) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Ordinance; 
(f) “public place” includes any public park, garden, railway station, ground 
or vehicle to which the public for the time being have access, whether 
on payment or otherwise; 
(g) “vagrant” means a person who– 
(i) solicits or receives alms in a public place; 
(ii) exposes or exhibits any sore, wound, injury, deformity or 
disease in a public place for the purpose of soliciting or receiving 
alms; 
(iii) allows himself to be used as an exhibit for the purpose of 
soliciting or receiving alms; 
(iv) enters on any private premises without the invitation of the 
occupier for the purpose of soliciting or receiving alms; 
but does not include a person who solicits or r eceives money, food or 
gift for a purpose authorised by rules under a prescribed certificate; 
(h) “welfare home” means an institution established and maintained by 
Government for the detention, training, employment and maintenance 
of vagrants and their dependents other than those who are lepers, 
lunatics or suffering from contagious diseases and  includes an 
institution notified by Government as such for the purposes of this 
Ordinance. 
3. Welfare homes.– (1) Government shall establish and maintain one or more 
welfare homes at such place or places as it thinks fit for the custody and detention of 
vagrants. 
 (2) Government may, by notification, declare any existing charitable or 
other institution with previous consent of the controlling authority of such institution 
                                                                                                                                                                                                       
1Ibid. 
2Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (I of 1974) (w.e.f.  14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated Nov ember 20,  1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 17. 
3Inserted by the Punjab Vagrancy (Amendment) Act 2025 (XV I of 2025),  published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated: 24 March 2025, pp. 3599-3600, s. 2. 
and on such conditions as may be mutually agreed upon between Government and 
the said authority, to be a welfare home for the purposes of this Ordinance. 
4. Manager.– Every welfare home shall be under the immediate charge of a 
manager appointed by Government and such manager shall be assisted by such 
medical and educational staff as Government may appoint. 
5. Duties of the manager .– (1) The manager of a welfare home shall, as soon 
as may be, get every vagrant medically examined and the report of the examination 
shall state, inter alia– 
(a) the sex and the age of the vagrant; 
(b) whether the vagrant is a leper? 
(c) whether he is suffering from any other contagious disease? 
(d) whether the vagrant is insane, or mentally deficient? 
(e) what is the general state of health and bodily condition of the vagrant 
and for which, if any, of the prescrib ed types of work such vagrant is 
fit? 
 (2) The manager of a welfare home shall keep the following classes of 
vagrants separately from each other– 
(a) children; 
(b) females; 
(c) lepers or persons suffering from contagious diseases; 
(d) lunatics; 
(e) infirm, old or incapacitated; 
(f) able bodied: 
 Provided that children less than seven years of age or females may be 
allowed to take up residence in the same apartment in which any male member of 
their family is confined. 
 (3) The manager shall arrange– 
(a) for the education of the children detained in the welfare home; 
(b) for such instruction of the vagrants, as may rehabilitate them in useful 
trades and make them self-supporting. 
6. Voluntary admission to welfare homes .– Any old, infirm or disabled person 
or a child may present himself before the 
1
[District Officer, Social Welfare]  for being 
admitted to a welfare home and if the 
2
[District Officer, Social Welfare] is satisfied 
that such person has no source of livelihood, he may be detained in a welfare home 
                                                                 
1Substituted for the words “Distric t Magistrate” by the Punjab Vag rancy (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001 (XXIX of 2001), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated October 18, 2001, pp. 1739-1740, s. 2, which will remain in force under 
the Provisional Constitution (Amendment) Order 1999 (9 of 1999), Article 4, notwithstanding the maximum limit of three months 
prescribed under Article 128 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. 
2Ibid. 
till such time as such person becomes possessed of means of livelihood or applies 
for his release from custody. 
7. Powers of police officer to arrest and search vagrants and to seize 
things liable to confiscation .– (1) Any police officer may without an order  from a 
Magistrate and without a warrant, arrest and search any person who appears to him 
to be a vagrant and may seize anything found on or about such person which he has 
reason to believe to be liable to confiscation under this Ordinance. 
 (2) A person a rrested under the last preceding sub -section, shall be 
released if he furnishes bail to the satisfaction of the police officer making arrest for 
his appearance before the Magistrate having jurisdiction in the area where the arrest 
is made. 
 (3) If the person arrested is not able to furnish bail to the satisfaction of the 
police officer making arrest, such person shall be detained in custody and shall be 
produced before the nearest Magistrate within a period of twenty -four hours of such 
arrest, excluding the  time necessary for the journey from the place of arrest to the 
Court of the Magistrate and no such person shall , be detained in custody beyond the 
said period without an authority of the Magistrate. 
8. Trial.– When the person arrested under the last prece ding section appears or 
is brought before the Magistrate, he shall be tried in accordance with the procedure 
prescribed for the trial of summons cases under Chapter XX of the Code of Criminal 
Procedure, 1898
1
: 
 Provided that whenever any Magistrate, after having heard and recorded the 
whole or any part of the evidence in a trial, ceases to exercise jurisdiction therein, 
and is succeeded by another Magistrate, who has and who exercises such 
jurisdiction, the Magistrate so succeeding may act on the evidence s o recorded by 
his predecessor or partly recorded by his predecessor and partly recorded by 
himself; or he may re-summon the witnesses and recommence the enquiry or trial. 
9. Sentence for vagrancy .– If the Magistrate finds that a person is a vagrant, 
such person shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a period 
not exceeding three years: 
 Provided that in any case in which a person who has not been previously 
convicted of an offence under this Ordinance, is convicted of an offence under this 
Ordinance, the Magistrate may instead of sentencing him to a term of imprisonment, 
release him after due admonition on his, or in case such vagrant is a child, on his 
guardian entering into a bond with or without sureties to appear and receive the 
sentence when called upon during such period (not exceeding three years) as the 
Magistrate may direct and in the meantime to refrain from conducting himself as a 
vagrant. 
2
[10. Punishment for organizing, employing or causing a person or child to ask 
for alms.- (1) Whoever, being organizer, employees or causes: 
                                                                 
1V of 1898. 
2Substituted by the Punjab Vagrancy (Amendment) Act 2025 (XV I of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated: 24 March 2025, pp. 3599-3600, s. 3. 
(a) a person, without any injury or incapacitation, to solicit or receive alms 
or uses him as exhibit for the purpose of soliciting or receiving alms, 
shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years 
and fine up to three hundred thousand rupees but not less than one 
hundred thousand rupees and in case of default of fine, the offender 
shall undergo further imprisonment of six months; or 
(b) more than one person, without any injury or incapacitat ion, to solicit or 
receive alms or uses them as exhibit for the purpose of soliciting or 
receiving alms, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend 
to five years but not less than three years and fine up to five hundred 
thousand rupees but not le ss than three hundred thousand rupees and 
in case of default of fine, the offender shall undergo further 
imprisonment of six months; or 
(c) a child, without any injury or incapacitation, to solicit or receive alms or 
uses him as exhibit for the purpose of soli citing or receiving alms, shall 
be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years but not 
less than three years and fine up to five hundred thousand rupees but 
not less than three hundred thousand rupees and in case of default of 
fine, the offender shall undergo further imprisonment of six months; or 
(d) more than one child, without any injury or incapacitation, to solicit or 
receive alms or uses them as exhibit for the purpose of soliciting or 
receiving alms, shall be punished with imprisonment whic h may extend 
to seven years but not less than five years and fine up to seven 
hundred thousand rupees but not less than five hundred thousand 
rupees and in case of default of fine, the offender shall undergo further 
imprisonment of one year; or 
(e) one or more than one person, or child with any injury or incapacitation, 
to solicit or receive alms or uses such child as exhibit for the purpose of 
soliciting or receiving alms shall be punished with imprisonment which 
may extend to ten years but not less than seven  years and fine up to 
two million rupees but not less than one million rupees and in case of 
default of fine, the offender shall undergo further imprisonment of two 
years. 
(2) Whoever, being guardian, employs, connives at or causes a child to 
solicit or re ceive alms or uses such child as exhibit for the purpose of soliciting or 
receiving alms, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three 
years and fine up to three hundred thousand rupees but not less than one hundred 
thousand rupees and in case of default of fine, the offender shall undergo further 
imprisonment of six months.  
(3) Whoever, being organizer or guardian, as the case may be, previously 
convicted of an offence under this Ordinance, is convicted for the same offence, 
shall be liable to double punishment provided for that offence under this Ordinance.] 
11. Presumption.– If a person has no ostensible source of subsistence and 
wanders about or remains in a public place in such condition or manner as raises a 
reasonable suspicion that he is there to solicit or receive alms, it shall be presumed, 
unless the contrary is proved that such person is a vagrant. 
12. Detention of dependents.– (1) If any vagrant sentenced under section 9 to a 
term of imprisonment has a child below seven years of  age or any other person 
wholly dependent upon him, the Magistrate may, after making such inquiry as he 
thinks fit and after giving such person an opportunity of being heard, direct that such 
child or person shall be detained in the welfare home so long as  the vagrant remains 
in custody: 
 Provided that a child of the vagrant who is below the age of seven years shall 
be detained along with the vagrant until he attains the age of seven years. 
 (2) Where the dependent is a child above seven years of age, or wh en the 
child detained under the last preceding sub -section, attains the age of seven years, 
the Magistrate or any other officer empowered by Government in this behalf may 
direct that such child be detained in any other institution approved by Government. 
13. Compulsory contribution by persons bound to maintain vagrants .– (1) If 
the Magistrate is satisfied that a vagrant or a person bound to maintain a vagrant has 
sufficient means, he shall make an order directing such vagrant or the person bound 
to maintain such vagrant, as the case may be, to contribute in the prescribed manner 
towards the maintenance of such vagrant in a welfare home: 
 Provided that no order under this sub-section shall be made without giving the 
person from whom contribution is required the opportunity of being heard. 
 (2) If any contribution directed by the Magistrate under the last preceding 
sub-section remains unpaid, the same may be recovered as arrears of land revenue. 
14. Place of detention or imprisonment .– A vagrant arrested under  this 
Ordinance shall remain in custody, or, if convicted serve his term of imprisonment in 
the prescribed manner, as the case may be, in the nearest welfare home or such 
other place as Government may by general or special order, direct. 
15. Transfer of vag rants from welfare homes .– The Controller or any other 
officer specially empowered by Government in this behalf may by an order in writing 
direct the transfer of a vagrant from one welfare home to another or to any other 
place appointed by Government in this behalf. 
16. Release on probation or short leave .– The Controller or any other officer 
specially empowered by Government in this behalf may, subject to such conditions 
as may be prescribed,– 
(a) release any vagrant on probation after he has served impris onment for 
a period not less than one year; 
(b) release a vagrant detained in a welfare home by granting him a 
licence, and, after the expiration of three months from the 
commencement of the release on licence, recommend to Government 
the unconditional rel ease of such vagrant if he considers that there is 
probability of such vagrant’s abstaining from vagrancy; 
(c) grant short leave of absence to any vagrant detained in a welfare home 
1
[
2
[* * *]]: 
 Provided that a vagrant contravening any condition relating to his 
release on licence may be re -arrested under the orders of the Controller and 
sent to the welfare home for completing the sentence awarded to him under 
section 9. 
17. Powers of discharge of vagrants from welfare homes .– The Controller or 
any other officer specially empowered by Government in this behalf may discharge a 
vagrant from a welfare home– 
(a) if he is satisfied that a vagrant has become possessed of an income 
sufficient to enable him to support himself without resorting to 
vagrancy; 
(b) if a relative of such vagrant, or a person interested in the welfare of the 
vagrant, enters into a bond with or without sureties to look after and 
maintain such vagrant and to prevent him from resorting to vagrancy; 
(c) on the certificate of the manager of the welfare home that satisfactory 
employment has been obtained for such vagrant; 
(d) for any other good and sufficient reason to be recorded in writing. 
18. Effect of other laws and enactments .– The provisions of this Ordinance, 
and any order made or action t aken under this Ordinance, shall have effect 
notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any enactment other 
than this Ordinance, for the time being in force, and any instrument having its effect 
by virtue of any such enactment other than this Ordinance. 
3
[19. Cognizance and bail.– All offences under this Ordinance shall be cognizable 
and non -bailable, except the offence punishable under section 9 which shall be 
cognizable and bailable.] 
4
[20. Jurisdiction .– The offences punishable under se ction 10 shall be tried in 
accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 
1898).] 
21. Appeal.– Any person aggrieved by an order of a Magistrate under this 
Ordinance may within thirty days of such order appeal to the 
5
[* * * * *] Sessions 
Court. 
                                                                 
1Added by the West Pakistan Laws (Extension to Karachi) Ordinance, 1964 (VII of 1964), published in the Gazette of West 
Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated May 25, 1964, pp. 1679-1688, s. 2, read with Schedule, Serial No. 15.  
2Deleted for the words “and the District of Karachi” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (I of 1974) (w.e.f.  14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Ex traordinary), dated November 20,  1974, pp.  1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read with 
Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 17. 
3Substituted by the Punjab Vagrancy (Amendment) Act 2025 (XV I of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated: 24 March 2025, pp. 3599-3600, s. 4. 
4Substituted by the Punjab Vagrancy (Amendment) Act 2025 (XV I of 2025), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), 
dated: 24 March 2025, pp. 3599-3600, s. 5. 
5Omitted the words “District Magistrate and if such order is made b y the District Magistrate to the” by the Punjab Vagrancy 
(Amendment) Ordinance, 2001 (XXIX of 2001), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated October 18,  2001, pp. 
1739-1740, s. 2, which will remain in force under the Provisional Constitution  (Amendment) Order 1999 (9 of 1999), Article 4, 
22. Persons to be deemed to be public servants .– All persons empowered to 
perform any function under this Ordinance shall be deemed to be public servants 
within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860
1
. 
23. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution, or other legal proceeding shall lie against 
any person for anything in good faith done or intended to be done under this 
Ordinance. 
24. Articles liable to confiscation .– All things and money found on or about a 
vagrant except the nec essary wearing apparel shall be liable to confiscation to 
Government under this Ordinance. 
25. Power to make rules .– (1) Government may make rules for carrying out the 
purposes of this Ordinance. 
 (2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality o f the foregoing 
power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:– 
(a) the purposes for which a person may solicit or receive money or ask for 
food or gift referred to in clause (g) of section 2 and the form of the 
certificate; 
(b) the manner in which Controller shall discharge his functions; 
(c)  the manner in which a medical officer may examine a vagrant; 
(d) the types of works for which a vagrant may be reported fit; 
(e)  the types of the hard labour which is to form the punishment; 
(f) the manner in which an imprisonment under this Ordinance may be 
served; 
(g) the manner in which a vagrant may be transferred from one welfare 
home to another or to any other place of detention; 
(h) the manner in which the manager of a welfare h ome is to certify that 
satisfactory employment has been obtained for a vagrant; 
(i) the place or institutions where children detained under this Ordinance 
are to be confined; 
(j) the places or institutions where lepers, lunatics and persons suffering 
from contagious diseases may be confined.  
 (3) Every rule under this Ordinance shall be laid before the 
2
[Provincial 
Assembly] and may be amended or repealed by a resolution of the said Assembly. 
26. Repeal.– The Sind Vagrancy Act, 1947
3
, is hereby repealed. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                       
notwithstanding the maximum limit of three months prescribed under Article 128 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of  
Pakistan. 
1XLV of 1860. 
2Substituted for the words “West Pakistan Assembly” by the  Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (I of 1974) (w.e.f.  
14.8.1973), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20,  1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2(1) read 
with Schedule, Part III, Serial No. 17. 
3Sind XVII of 1947.