{
  "schema_version": "qanun-law-text/1",
  "id": "punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb",
  "title": "PUBLIC HEALTH (EMERGENCY PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE, 1944",
  "source_collection": "Punjab",
  "content_kind": "stored_law_text",
  "content_extent": null,
  "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/VWBTZQE.WmM-",
  "version": null,
  "source_snapshot": "2026-08-06T16:49:28Z",
  "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": "70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210",
  "source_sha256": "70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210",
  "text_version_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210",
  "quality_flags": [],
  "encoding": "UTF-8",
  "text": "THE PUBLIC HEALTH (EMERGENCY PROVISIONS) \r\nORDINANCE, 1944 \r\n(XXI of 1944) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement. \r\n2. Definitions. \r\n3. Power to require local authorities to take health measures. \r\n4. Power to appoint additional health staff. \r\n5. Powers of superintendence. \r\n6. Power to take over administration of services. \r\n7. Water supply. \r\n8. Power to give directions. \r\n9. Power to supersede local authorities. \r\n10. Power to modify rules, bye-laws, etc. \r\n11. Power to make rules. \r\n12. Certain persons deemed to be public servants. \r\n13. Protection of action taken under this Ordinance. \r\n14. Effect of other laws. \r\n \r\nTEXT \r\nTHE PUBLIC HEALTH (EMERGENCY PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE, 1944 \r\n(XXI of 1944) \r\n[20th May, 1944] \r\nAn \r\nOrdinance \r\nto make special provisions in regard to public health \r\n WHEREAS an eme rgency has arisen which renders it necessary to make \r\nspecial provision for preventing the spread of human disease, safe guarding the \r\npublic health and providing and maintaining adequate medical services and other \r\nservices essential to the health of the community: \r\n NOW, THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 72 of the \r\nGovernment of India Act, as set out in the Ninth Schedule to the Government of India \r\nAct, 1935, the Governor -General is pleased to make and promulgate the following \r\nOrdinance:– \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Ordinance may be called \r\nthe Public Health (Emergency Provisions) Ordinance, 1944. \r\n1\r\n[(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan.] \r\n(3) It shall come into force at once. \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Ordinance, un less there is anything repugnant in the \r\nsubject or context,– \r\n(a) “appropriate Government” means in relation to cantonmen t authorities \r\nand to port authorities in major ports, the \r\n2\r\n[Federal] Government, and in \r\nrelation to all other local authorities, the Provincial Government; \r\n(b) “local area” means the area within which a local authority exercises its \r\nfunctions; \r\n(c) “local authority” in this section and sections 7 to 10 and 14 includes any \r\nbody, whether incorporated or not, engaged in providing a supply of \r\nwater; \r\n(d) “medical establishment” means establishment employed in connection \r\nwith the provision of medical services; \r\n(e) “public health services” and “public health establishment” inclu de \r\nrespectively sanitary, water -supply, vaccination, sewage disposal, \r\ndrainage and conservancy services and establishment maintained for \r\nthe purposes of such services, and any other service o r establishment \r\n \r\n1Substituted for the words “it extends to  all the Provinces and the Capital of the Feder ation” by the Central Laws (Statute \r\nReform) Ordinance, 1960 (XXI of 1960), published in the Gazette of Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated June 9, 1960, pp. 725-845, \r\ns. 3 read with Second Schedule. Whereas earlier substituted the words “the whole of the Britis h India” by the Adaptat ion of \r\nCentral Acts and Ordinances Order, 1949, vide Notification No. G.G.O. 4, dated March 25, 1949, ( w.e.f. 28.3.1949), published \r\nin the Gazette of Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated March 28, 1949, pp. 223-283, Articles 3(2) and 4.  \r\n2Substituted for the word “Central”  by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (Pb. Order No. 1 of 1974) , published in the \r\nPunjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, Article 2 read with Schedule. \r\nof a local authority which the appropriate Government may by \r\nnotification in the official Gazette declare to be a public  health service \r\nor public health establishment for any purpose of this Ordinance; \r\n(f) “purpose of this Ordinance” includ es the purposes of ensuring the \r\nprovision of adequate medical services, of preventing the spread of \r\nhuman disease, of safeguarding the p ublic health and of providing or \r\nmaintaining services essential to the health of the community. \r\n3. Power to require loca l authorities to take health measures .– (1) The \r\nappropriate Government may by order in writing require any local authority to take \r\nwithin such period as may be specified in the order such measures as may be so \r\nspecified, being measures which are in the opinion of that Government necessary for \r\nany purpose of this Ordinance; and thereupon it shall be the duty of the local \r\nauthority to comply with the order within the specified period. \r\n (2) If in the opinion of the appropriate Government a local authority whic h \r\nhas been ordered under sub -section (1) to take any measures has failed to take, or \r\nis unlikely to complete, such measures within the pe riod specified in the order, the \r\nappropriate Government may, without prejudice to any other action which may be \r\ntaken under this Ordinance, authorise any person to take or complete, as the case \r\nmay be, the said measures; and the person so authorised may fo r the purpose \r\nexercise all or any of the powers of the local authority or of any committee or officer \r\nof the local auth ority conferred by or under any law for the time being in force, issue \r\nsuch directions as he thinks fit to the officers or servants of th e local authority, and if \r\nhe finds it necessary or expedient so to do, employ any outside agency. \r\n (3) All charges and expenses incurred by a local authority in complying \r\nwith an order under sub -section (1) or by a person authorised under sub -section (2) \r\nshall, except to such extent, if any, as the appropriate Government may direct to be \r\npaid out of its revenues, be paid out of the funds of the local authority. \r\n4. Power to appoint additional health staff .– (1) The appropriate Government \r\nmay, if it considers it necessary for any purpose of this Ordinance, appoint in any \r\nlocal area additional medical or public health establis hment to perform such duties \r\nand exercise such functions as the appropriate Government may direct. \r\n (2) Such additional establishment shall , unless and to such extent as the \r\nappropriate Government otherwise directs, be under the control of the appropriate \r\nGovernment, but its salaries and allowances or any specified portion thereof shall, if \r\nthe appropriate Government so orders, be paid out of the funds of the local authority. \r\n5. Powers of superintendence .– (1) The appropriate Government may, if it \r\nconsiders it necessary for any purpose of this Ordinance, by order in writing assume \r\nthe superintendence of all or any of the medical and public hea lth services of any \r\nlocal authority. \r\n (2) Upon the assumption of superintendence under sub-section (1),– \r\n(a) the appropriate Government may by order in writing specify the scale \r\nof the medical or public health establishment concerned to be \r\nmaintained by the  local authority, the qualifications to be required for \r\nappointment to posts in such establishment, and the pay and other \r\nconditions of service of such establishment; \r\n(b) the powers of appointment, dismissal and punishment of, and grant of \r\nleave to, members of such establishment shall vest in such authority as \r\nthe appropriate Government may appoint in this behalf; \r\n(c) the appropriate Government may by order in writing specify the powers \r\nto be exercised by Health Officers employed under the local authority; \r\n(d) the appropriate Government shall have power to inspect, superintend \r\nand control the operations of the local auth ority in regard to any \r\npurpose of this Ordinance, and may by order in writing authorise \r\npersons to carry out such inspection, superintendenc e and control and \r\ndefine their powers and duties when so acting; \r\n(e) the costs of and incidental to the services and  establishment \r\nconcerned shall continue to be paid out of the funds of the local \r\nauthority. \r\n6. Power to take over administration of services .– The appropriate \r\nGovernment may, if it considers it necessary for any purpose of this Ordinance, \r\nauthorise by orde r in writing any person to take over from any local authority the \r\nadministration of all or any of its medical and public health services or of any medical \r\ninstitution maintained by the local authority; and the person so authorised may for \r\nthe purposes of s uch administration exercise all the powers specified in sub -section \r\n(2) of section 3 of a person authorised under that sub -section; and all charges and \r\nexpenses incurred by the person authorised under this section shall, except to such \r\nextent, if any, as t he appropriate Government may direct to be paid out of its \r\nrevenues, be paid out of the funds of the local authority. \r\n7. Water supply.– (1) A local authority may, with the previous sanction of the \r\nappropriate Government, supply water to any other local aut hority or to any other \r\nauthority or person within or without its local area upon such terms as may be agreed, \r\nnotwithstanding any provision prohibiting or restricting such supply contained in any \r\nother law. \r\n (2) The appropriate Government may by order in w riting direct any local \r\nauthority to supply water to any area or to any authority or person within or without \r\nits local area at such places a nd in such quantities as may be specified in the order, \r\nsubject to such payment being made therefor and to such oth er conditions as the \r\nappropriate Government may consider reasonable. \r\n8. Power to give directions .– For the purpose of carrying into effect an y of the \r\nforegoing provisions of this Ordinance or any order made thereunder, the \r\nappropriate Government may in wri ting give to any local authority such directions as \r\nit thinks fit, and it shall be the duty of the local authority to comply therewith. \r\n9. Power to supersede local authorities.– (1) If the appropriate Government is \r\nof opinion that any local authority has f ailed to comply, or has delayed in complying, \r\nwith any order or rule made or direction given under this Ordinance or has failed to \r\nact in accordance with or give effect to any notification issued under section 10, the \r\nappropriate Government may, by order i n writing, supersede the local authority for \r\nsuch period as may be specified in the order. \r\n (2) When an order of supersession has been made un der sub -section \r\n(1),– \r\n(a) all the members of the local authority shall, as from the date of \r\nsupersession, vacate their offices as such members; \r\n(b) all the powers and duties which may by or under any law for the time \r\nbeing in force be exercised or performe d by or on behalf of the local \r\nauthority shall, during the period of supersession, be exercised and \r\nperformed by s uch person as the appropriate Government may \r\nauthorise in this behalf; \r\n(c) all property vested in the local authority shall, during the period  of \r\nsupersession, vest in the appropriate Government. \r\n (3) On the expiration of the period of supersession specifi ed in the order \r\nunder sub-section (1), the appropriate Government may by order in writing– \r\n(a) extend the period for such further term as it ma y consider necessary; \r\nor \r\n(b) direct that the local authority shall be reconstituted in the manner \r\nprovided for its constitution by or under the law relating thereto, and in \r\nsuch case any persons who vacated their offices under clause (a) of \r\nsub-section (2)  shall not be deemed to be disqualified thereby for \r\nelection, appointment or nomination; or \r\n(c) direct that the local authority shall be reconstituted by the persons who \r\nvacated their offices under clause (a) of sub -section (2) and shall \r\nrecommence functioning as if it had not been superseded: \r\n Provided that the appropriate Government may, at any time before the \r\nexpiration of the period of supersession whether as originally specified under sub -\r\nsection (1) or as extended under this sub -section, make an order under clause (b) or \r\nclause (c) of this sub-section. \r\n10. Power to modify rules, bye -laws, etc .– In relation to an y local area the \r\nappropriate Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make any rules, \r\nbye-laws, regulations, or orders connected with any purpose of this Ordinance which \r\nthe local authority would under any law for the time being in force be  competent to \r\nmake, and may in like manner amend or suspend the operation of any such rule, \r\nbye-law, regulation or order made by the local authority: \r\n Provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law, it \r\nshall not be necessary when issuing any such notification to comply with the \r\nprovisions of section 23 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 or the similar provisions of \r\nany local law or with any law providing for any procedure preliminary to the making \r\nof any such rule, bye-law, regulation or order: \r\n Provided further that it shall be sufficient for the purpose of– \r\n(a) cancelling any rule, bye -law, regulation or order made by the \r\nappropriate Government by notification under this section, or \r\n(b) restoring to its form immediately prior to its  amendment by notification \r\nunder this section any rule, bye-law, regulation or order so amended, \r\nto rescind the notification. \r\n11. Power to make r ules.– (1) The appropriate Government may make rules for \r\ncarrying out the purposes of this Ordinance, and in pa rticular and without prejudice \r\nto the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may– \r\n(a) prescribe any disease against the spread of which sp ecial precautions \r\nare considered by the appropriate Government to be necessary; \r\n(b) prohibit any act which in t he opinion of the appropriate Government is \r\nlikely to lead to or facilitate the spread of any disease prescribed under \r\nclause (a); \r\n(c) provide fo r the restraint, segregation and restriction of movement of \r\npersons suffering or suspected to be suffering from any such disease; \r\n(e) provide for the temporary transfer of members of the medical and \r\npublic health establishments of any local authority to se rve in another \r\nlocal area under the appropriate Government or another local authority. \r\n (2) In making rules und er this section, the appropriate Government may \r\nprovide that a breach of any of the rules shall be punishable with imprisonment \r\nwhich may extend to three months or with fine or with both. \r\n12. Certain persons deemed to be public servants .– All persons autho rised \r\nunder sub-section (2) of section 3, clause (d) of sub -section (2) of s ection 5, section \r\n6 or clause (b ) of sub-section (2) of section 9 shal l be deemed to be public servants \r\nwithin the meaning of the Pakistan\r\n1\r\n Penal Code\r\n2\r\n.  \r\n13. Protection of action t aken under this Ordinance .– No suit, prosecution or \r\nother legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything in good faith done or \r\nintended to be done under this Ordinance. \r\n14. Effect of other laws .– The provisions of this Ordinance and of any rule s and \r\norders made thereunder shall have effect notwithstanding anything contained in any \r\nlaw defining the powers, duties or obligations of a local authority. \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n1Now it is the ‘Pakistan Penal Code’ as the word “Pakistan” substituted for the word “Indian” by the Adaptation of Central Acts \r\nand Ordinances Order, 1949, vide Notification No. G.G.O. 4, dated March 25, 1949, (w.e.f. 28.3.1949), published in the Gazette \r\nof Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated March 28, 1949, pp. 223-283, Article 3(1) read with Schedule. \r\n2XL of 1860.",
  "passage_offset_convention": "zero-based Unicode code points and UTF8 bytes; end exclusive",
  "passages": [
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-0-1775:fad45da9647f22baf41fa39290b621df5730456021f0e2f1d2e911e6b8c5cd98",
      "character_start": 0,
      "character_end": 1775,
      "utf8_byte_start": 0,
      "utf8_byte_end": 1787,
      "passage_sha256": "fad45da9647f22baf41fa39290b621df5730456021f0e2f1d2e911e6b8c5cd98",
      "reader_fragment": "p-0-1775-fad45da9647f22ba"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-1775-3574:55489d1eb308537066c2c3d36918d260c0e3e08e45ce3dbf1854ea07a3726b8e",
      "character_start": 1775,
      "character_end": 3574,
      "utf8_byte_start": 1787,
      "utf8_byte_end": 3618,
      "passage_sha256": "55489d1eb308537066c2c3d36918d260c0e3e08e45ce3dbf1854ea07a3726b8e",
      "reader_fragment": "p-1775-3574-55489d1eb3085370"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-3574-5320:ac87d41b087cf8f18b7b48e564ec09c012f44c780535da4cc087e821fbaddb54",
      "character_start": 3574,
      "character_end": 5320,
      "utf8_byte_start": 3618,
      "utf8_byte_end": 5370,
      "passage_sha256": "ac87d41b087cf8f18b7b48e564ec09c012f44c780535da4cc087e821fbaddb54",
      "reader_fragment": "p-3574-5320-ac87d41b087cf8f1"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-5320-7111:d3b15ee17bbcaa65f960498a8549ea80545ee726b90da49dd4e6b5a9f05007c9",
      "character_start": 5320,
      "character_end": 7111,
      "utf8_byte_start": 5370,
      "utf8_byte_end": 7167,
      "passage_sha256": "d3b15ee17bbcaa65f960498a8549ea80545ee726b90da49dd4e6b5a9f05007c9",
      "reader_fragment": "p-5320-7111-d3b15ee17bbcaa65"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-7111-8906:401595f3081496a31f11570228478080aa9e3499bcc4260207a6959c8608b995",
      "character_start": 7111,
      "character_end": 8906,
      "utf8_byte_start": 7167,
      "utf8_byte_end": 8966,
      "passage_sha256": "401595f3081496a31f11570228478080aa9e3499bcc4260207a6959c8608b995",
      "reader_fragment": "p-7111-8906-401595f3081496a3"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-8906-10635:5be29680002dd3425099f5614cc6f3ac532e220cbc900f3b15aed275fdae137f",
      "character_start": 8906,
      "character_end": 10635,
      "utf8_byte_start": 8966,
      "utf8_byte_end": 10701,
      "passage_sha256": "5be29680002dd3425099f5614cc6f3ac532e220cbc900f3b15aed275fdae137f",
      "reader_fragment": "p-8906-10635-5be29680002dd342"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-10635-12389:9e672fd63cd5b58a84d2f81e09e31a174c0625b93f81c318507c212e62aac999",
      "character_start": 10635,
      "character_end": 12389,
      "utf8_byte_start": 10701,
      "utf8_byte_end": 12459,
      "passage_sha256": "9e672fd63cd5b58a84d2f81e09e31a174c0625b93f81c318507c212e62aac999",
      "reader_fragment": "p-10635-12389-9e672fd63cd5b58a"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-12389-14140:9b6901c2e60cf8406d8b2e64730a4fb7dd26b1c35106b218554415e7dd70e52d",
      "character_start": 12389,
      "character_end": 14140,
      "utf8_byte_start": 12459,
      "utf8_byte_end": 14216,
      "passage_sha256": "9b6901c2e60cf8406d8b2e64730a4fb7dd26b1c35106b218554415e7dd70e52d",
      "reader_fragment": "p-12389-14140-9b6901c2e60cf840"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-ad5ad064808be2fb:sha256:70efd73f9c288c5691f3989b354664df00990062903c2ae20195e01826950210:chars-14140-15381:2ff7d0e619e3add5a1e83db81158ea391c121cf2a039988453396da3481108eb",
      "character_start": 14140,
      "character_end": 15381,
      "utf8_byte_start": 14216,
      "utf8_byte_end": 15475,
      "passage_sha256": "2ff7d0e619e3add5a1e83db81158ea391c121cf2a039988453396da3481108eb",
      "reader_fragment": "p-14140-15381-2ff7d0e619e3add5"
    }
  ]
}