PUNJAB PROHIBITION OF SMOKING IN CINEMA HOUSES ORDINANCE, 1960

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THE PUNJAB PROHIBITION OF SMOKING IN CINEMA 
HOUSES ORDINANCE, 1960 
(IV of 1960) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title and extent. 
2. Definitions. 
3. Penalty for smoking in cinema houses. 
4. Power to arrest without warrant. 
5. Management to post notices or exhibit slides. 
6. Power to exempt. 
7. Power to make rules. 
 
 
TEXT 
1
THE 
2
[PUNJAB] PROHIBITION OF SMOKING IN CINEMA HOUSES 
ORDINANCE, 1960 
(IV of 1960) 
[6 February 1960] 
An 
Ordinance 
to prohibit smoking in cinema houses in the Province of 
3
[the Punjab]. 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is expedient to prohibit smoking in cinema houses in the 
Province of 
4
[the Punjab]; 
 NOW, THEREFORE , in pursuance of the Presidential Proclamation of the 
seventh day of October, 1958, and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that 
behalf, the Governor of West Pakistan is pleased to make and promulgate the 
following Ordinance:– 
1. Short title and extent .– (1) This Ordinance may be called the 
5
[Punjab] 
Prohibition of Smoking in Cinema Houses Ordinance, 1960. 
 
6
[(2) It extends to the whole of the Province of 
7
[the Punjab] , except the 
Tribal Areas.] 
2. Definitions.– In this Ordinance, unless the context otherwise requires, the 
following expressions shall have the meanings hereby re spectively assigned to 
them, that is to say– 
(a) “cinema house” means any building, tent, or any roofed and enclosed 
structure, used ordinarily for the exhibition to the public, whether on 
payment or otherwise, of cinematographic films; 
(b) “Government” means the 
8
[Provincial Government of the Punjab]; 
(c) “management” means the person or persons responsible for managing 
a performance, demonstration or exhibition in a cinema house. 
                                                           
1This Ordinance wa s promulgated by the Governor of West Pakistan on Feb ruary 4, 1960, published in the West Pakistan 
Gazette (Extraordinary), dated Feb ruary 6, 1960, pp. 885-886; 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 read with Schedule, 
Part III, Serial No. 32. 
3Ibid. 
4Ibid. 
5Ibid. 
6Substituted by the West Pakistan Laws (Extension to Karachi) Ordinance, 1964 (VII of 1964), published in the West Pakistan 
Gazette (Extraordinary), dated May 25, 1964, pp. 1679-1688, s. 2 read with Schedule, Serial No. 33. 
7Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 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 read with Schedule, 
Part III, Serial No. 32. 
8Substituted for the words “Government of West Pakistan” by the Order ibid. 
3. Penalty for smoking in cinema houses .– Whoever smokes, during any 
performance, demonstration or exhibition, in any part of a cinema house reserved for 
the audience or the spectators, shall be punished with fine which may extend to one 
hundred rupees. 
Explanation.– For the purpose of this section, a performance, demonstration or  
exhibition shall be deemed to commence when the audience or the spectators have 
entered the cinema house to witness the performance, demonstration or exhibition 
therein and to continue until they have left the house after the final closing of the 
performance, demonstration or exhibition. 
4. Power to arrest without warrant .– Any police officer not below the rank of 
Sub-Inspector, may arrest without warrant any person who in his presence commits 
an offence punishable under section 3, but shall release him on  his personal bond 
for attendance before a Magistrate on a specified date. 
5. Management to post notices or exhibit slides .– (1) The management shall 
bring to the notice of the audience or the spectators, by posting notices prominently 
or by exhibiting sli des, that any person smoking during a performance, 
demonstration or exhibition, in any part of a cinema house reserved for the audience 
or spectators, shall be liable to arrest without warrant and to fine. 
 (2) Whoever contravenes the provisions of sub -section (1) shall be 
punished with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees. 
6. Power to exempt .– The 
1
[Executive District Officer (Health)]  or any officer 
authorised by him in this behalf, may, by general or special order in writing, direct 
that the provisions of this Ordinance shall not apply in respect of any cinema house 
or any performance, demonstration or exhibition therein. 
7. Power to make rules .– Government may make rules for carrying out the 
purposes of this Ordinance. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
1Substituted for the words “District Magistrate” by the Punjab Prohibition of Smoking in Cinema Houses (Amendment) 
Ordinance, 2001 (LII of 2001), published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated December 10, 2001, pp. 1971-1972, 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.