{
  "schema_version": "qanun-law-text/1",
  "id": "punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c",
  "title": "PUNJAB THALASSEMIA PREVENTION ACT 2025",
  "source_collection": "Punjab",
  "content_kind": "stored_law_text",
  "content_extent": null,
  "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/VmZWYQA.UGFUPQ--",
  "version": null,
  "source_snapshot": "2026-08-06T17:01:04Z",
  "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": "312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138",
  "source_sha256": "312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138",
  "text_version_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138",
  "quality_flags": [],
  "encoding": "UTF-8",
  "text": "THE PUNJAB THALASSEMIA PREVENTION ACT 2025 \r\n(XXVII of 2025) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement \r\n2. Definitions \r\n3. Advisory Council \r\n4. Powers and functions of the Council  \r\n5. Remuneration  \r\n6. Technical Advisory Committee  \r\n7. Category of a test  \r\n8. Consent Form  \r\n9. Fee  \r\n10. Laboratories \r\n11. Confidentiality of information  \r\n12. Responsibility of PITB \r\n13. Responsibility of head of an Institution  \r\n14. Responsibility of a Board \r\n15. Implementation and Monitoring  \r\n16. Violation of provisions of this Act \r\n17. Fund of the Council \r\n18. Audit and Accounts \r\n19. Delegation of powers  \r\n20. Power to make rules  \r\n21. Power to frame regulations \r\n22. Offence to be punishable and triable  \r\n23. Cognizance of an offence  \r\n24. Act to override other laws  \r\n25. Indemnity  \r\n26. Removal of difficulties \r\n  \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE PUNJAB THALASSEMIA PREVENTION ACT 2025 \r\n(XXVII of 2025) \r\n[2nd May, 2025] \r\nAn \r\nAct \r\nto make provisions for the control and prevention of Thalassemia and other genetic \r\norders. \r\nPreamble.– WHEREAS early detection, prevention and management of thalassemia \r\nand related genetic disorders are essential to reduce the burden of these conditions on \r\nthe healthcare system;  \r\nIt is hereby enacted as follows:  \r\n1. Short title, extent and commencement .– (1) This Act may be cited as the \r\nPunjab Thalassemia Prevention Act 2025.  \r\n(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.  \r\n(3) It shall come into force at once.  \r\n2. Definitions.– In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant to the subject or \r\ncontext:  \r\n(a) “Board” means the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education \r\nestablished under the Punjab Boards of Intermediate and Secondary \r\nEducation Act, 1976 (XIII of 1976);  \r\n(b) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Council;  \r\n(c) “Council” means the Council notified under section 3 of this Act;  \r\n(d) “data” means the data generated in consequence of a sample or test;  \r\n(e) “Department” means the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education \r\nDepartment;  \r\n(f) “Government” means Government of the Punjab;  \r\n(g) “Institution” means a public or private school or college and includes Deeni \r\nMadaras either registered with any board in the Punjab;  \r\n(h) “laboratory” means a public or private sector laboratory notified under this \r\nAct; \r\n(i) “member” means a member of the Council; \r\n(j) “PITB” means the Punjab Infor mation Technology Board established under \r\nthe Punjab Information Technology Board Ordinance 1999 (XLIV of 1999); \r\n(k) “PPC” means Pakistan Penal Code; \r\n(l) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules or the regulations; \r\n(m) “regulations” means the regulations framed under this Act; \r\n(n) “rules” means the rules made under this Act; \r\n                                    \r\n1This Act was passed by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on 22 April 2025; and was assented to by Governor of the Punjab on 02 \r\nMay 2025; and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 02 May 2025, pp. 4273-4277. \r\n(o) “school” means a public or private school and includes Deeni Madaras \r\nregistered under the relevant laws; and \r\n(p) “student” means a student registered with any Board. \r\n3. Advisory Council.– (1) There shall be an Advisory Council to be notified by the \r\nDepartment after approval by the Government comprising the following:  \r\n1)  Minister for Specialized Healthcare & Medical \r\nEducation  \r\nChairperson \r\n2)  Minister for Health & Population Department  Member \r\n3)  Parliamentary Secretary, Specialized Healthcare & \r\nMedical Education \r\nMember \r\n4)  Two members, including one female member , of \r\nProvincial Assembly of the Punjab  to be nominated \r\nby the Speaker of the Assembly;  \r\nMembers \r\n5)  Secretary, Specialized Healthcare & Medical \r\nEducation Department \r\nSecretary \r\n6)  Secretary/Special Secretary (Operations), Health & \r\nPopulation Department  \r\nMember \r\n7)  Secretary/Special Secretary (Operations), Higher \r\nEducation Department  \r\nMember \r\n8)  Secretary/Special Secretary (Operations), School \r\nEducation Department  \r\nMember \r\n9)  Secretary/Special Secretary (Operations), Local \r\nGovernment  and Community Development  \r\nDepartment  \r\nMember \r\n10)  Secretary/Special Secretary (Operations), Auqaf &  \r\nReligious Affairs Department  \r\nMember \r\n11)  Additional Secretary (Technical) Specialized \r\nHealthcare & Medical Education Department  \r\nMember \r\n12)  Vice Chancellor, University of Child Health \r\nSciences, Children’s Hospital, Lahore  \r\nMember \r\n13)  CEO, Punjab Healthcare Commission Member \r\n14)  DG, Punjab Thalassemia & other Genetic Disorders \r\nPrevention Program \r\nMember \r\n15)  Director, CEMB  Member \r\n16)  One Representative of Public & Private  Schools (to \r\nbe nominated by SED)  \r\nMember \r\n17)  One Professor of Hematology, nominated by the \r\nDepartment  \r\nMember \r\n(2) Ten Members, including Chairperson or the person presiding the meeting, \r\nshall constitute the quorum for a meeting of the Council, and the Council shall make a \r\ndecision by majority of its members present and voting, and in case of a tie, the \r\nChairperson or the member presiding the meeting shall have a casting vote.  \r\n(3) The Council shall meet at least once in three months and its meeting shall \r\nbe held at such place, date and time as the Chairperson or the person nominated to \r\npreside over the meeting may determine.  \r\n(4) The Chairperson or, in his absence, any member nominated by him shall \r\npreside over the meeting of the Council.  \r\n4. Powers and functions of the Council .– (1) The Council may recommend to the \r\nGovernment for  effective system of genetic counseling and diagnostic facilities \r\naccessible to the students of Punjab and take such measures to encourage them to fully \r\nutilize it. \r\n(2) All individuals tested for the disease(s), if found carrier of trait, shall be \r\ngiven counseling regarding their marrying someone carrying rate and risk of passing on \r\nthe disease(s) to their offspring.  \r\n(3) Advisory Council will facilitate early diagnosis, management, complication \r\nand prevention of disease(s) through updated education about the latest tests, active role \r\nof Punjab Healthcare Commission in the whole process and creation of huge data bank \r\nfor further policy making.  \r\n(4) Advisory Council will place a substantive mechanism for formulating tests \r\nto be done for the said disease(s) and the referred laboratories, either public or private.  \r\n(5) Accreditation of the said laboratories will be the sole responsibility of the \r\nAdvisory Council.  \r\n(6) The target population and the age group who are to undergo testing will be \r\ndetermined by the Advisory Council.  \r\n(7) Advisory Council will ensure check on the quality control of Laboratories.  \r\n(8) The Council will regulate rate of the tests prescribed for the said disease(s).  \r\n(9) A mechanism will be devised by the Advisory Council for proper referral \r\nsystem.  \r\n(10) The Council may recommend inclusion of thalassemia diagnosed children \r\nin the list of special children and may also recommend issuance of special health cards \r\nfor their treatments at public and private hospitals.  \r\n(11) The Council will further recommend registration  of thalassemia diagnosed \r\nchildren in NADRA at the time of issuance of form -B or smart card or CNIC and would \r\nrecommend to make arrangements for provision of financial assistance to the \r\nthalassemia children.  \r\n5. Remuneration.– No remuneration shall be paid to the members of the Council.  \r\n6. Technical Advisory Committee .– The C ouncil shall, for a specified period, \r\nconstitute a Technical Advisory Committee, consisting of the following:  \r\na) Additional Secretary (Technical) of the Specialized Healthcare and Medical \r\nEducation Department; \r\nb) Additional Secretary (Technical) of the Health & Population  Department; \r\nc) a representative of Secretary, School Education Department not below the \r\nrank of Deputy Secretary; \r\nd) a representative of Secretary, Higher Education Department not  below the \r\nrank of Deputy Secretary; \r\ne) Secretary, Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority, Punjab; \r\nf) Director, Institute of Blood Transfusion Services, Punjab; \r\ng) a representative of Punjab Healthcare Commission; \r\nh) One Professor of Medicine to be nominated by Advisory Council;  \r\ni) One Professor of Hematology to be nominated by Advisory Council;  \r\nj) One Professor of Pediatrics to be nominated by Advisory Council;  \r\nk) a representative of the Thalassemia organizations, to be nominated by the \r\nAdvisory Council; \r\nl) a representative of PITB; and  \r\nm) a legal expert.  \r\n7. Category of a test.– The Department shall, after approval by the Government, on \r\nthe recommendation of the Advisory Council, notify a category of test or more than one \r\ncategory of test, as the case may be, in the official Gazette.  \r\n8. Consent Form.– Advisory Council shall formulate the proforma containing all the \r\nparameters required for the informed consent.  \r\n9. Fee.– Price fixation shall be done through the Punjab Healthcare Commission \r\nunder provision of “PRICING  OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES REGULATION 2021” ; \r\nprovided that the Government may make arrangements for free of cost testing facility for \r\nthe purpose.  \r\n10. Laboratories.– (1) No laboratory or its authorized person shall take sample or \r\nconduct test of a student under this Act unless it is notified by the Department on the \r\nrecommendation of the Council.  \r\n(2) The laboratory shall conduct the test in accordance with the standards a nd \r\nprocedures as may be prescribed by the Department on the recommendation of the \r\nCouncil.  \r\n(3) A laboratory shall, after taking the sample or conducting the test, as the \r\ncase may be, issue acknowledgment receipt to the student at once and forward its \r\nduplicate copy to the head of the concerned institution within three working days.  \r\n(4) The laboratory shall conclude the test within ten days from taking the \r\nsample and forward its result to the Punjab Information Technology Board electronically \r\nwithin five days after its conclusion.  \r\n(5) The laboratory shall maintain the confidentiality of the results and shall not \r\nshare it or any relevant information with any unauthorized person.  \r\n11. Confidentiality of information .– No one shall share the information whether \r\npersonal or medical, with any other individual or collective, personal or medical to any \r\nMedical Company, Pharmaceutical company, local donor, international donor, \r\nlocal/international NGOs/INGOs or any other entit y without the approval of the \r\nGovernment.  \r\n12. Responsibility of PITB .– (1) The PITB shall establish a separate portal for \r\nreceiving and maintaining the data from the laboratories under this Act.  \r\n(2) The data of the test received from the laboratories shall be k ept in the \r\ncustody of the PITB and its secrecy shall be maintained.  \r\n13. Responsibility of head of an Institution .– The head of an institution shall \r\nensure that students enrolled in the institution, has provided the sample or undergone a \r\ntest under this Act b y a notified laboratory at the time of enrollment or submission of \r\nforms to the Board, whichever is earlier.  \r\n14. Responsibility of a Board .– A Board shall, before registration of student, ensure \r\nthat the receipt regarding provision of a sample or conduct of test under this Act is \r\nenclosed with the form for registration. \r\n15. Implementation and Monitoring .– The Council, Specialized Healthcare and \r\nMedical Education Department, School Education Department, Higher Education \r\nDepartment, Punjab Healthcare Commission an d Board shall be responsible for \r\nimplementation of the provisions of this act and monitoring thereunder.  \r\n16. Violation of provisions of this Act .– (1) If a Government employee is found \r\ninvolved in violation of any provision of this Act, he shall be proceeded against under the \r\nPunjab Employees Efficiency and Disciplinary Accountability Act 2006 (XII of 2006).  \r\n(2) If a Government employee is found involved in unauthorized release of \r\ninformation of the data or generation of a fake result, he shall be liable to be prosecuted \r\nunder this Act and the Punjab Employees Efficiency and Disciplinary Accountability Act \r\n2006 (XII of 2006).  \r\n(3) In case an employee of a private laboratory notified under this Act is found \r\ninvolved in unauthorized release of information of the data or generation of a fake result, \r\nhe shall be liable to be proceeded against under PPC and the Labs involved in any \r\nmalpractice shall face proceedings which may include blacklisting.  \r\n17. Fund of the Council.– (1) The Government shall establish a fund. \r\n(2) The Council shall maintain the fund in the prescribed manner.  \r\n(3) The fund shall consists of:  \r\n(a) grants received from the Government through budgetary allocations;  \r\n(b) income received from tests fees and all other sums received by the \r\nCouncil;  \r\n(c) money received from the Federal Government or any international \r\norganization by way of grant, loan, advance or others;  \r\n(d) money received from the disposal of movable and immovable p roperty of \r\nthe Council;  \r\n(e) and any other money received by the Council.  \r\n18. Audit and Accounts .– (1) The Council shall maintain complete and accurate \r\nbooks of accounts of its actual expenses and receipts in the manner prescribed.  \r\n(2) The Council shall approve the  annual budget of the Authority in the \r\nprescribed manner.  \r\n(3) The accounts of the Council shall be audited annually by the Auditor \r\nGeneral of Pakistan.  \r\n19. Delegation of powers .– The Council may delegate any of its functions to \r\ncommittee or any other officer of the Council except the following functions:  \r\n(a) framing of regulations;  \r\n(b) approval of budget of the Council in addition to the budget allocated by the \r\nGovernment; and  \r\n(c) making of policies.  \r\n20. Power to make rules .– (1) The Government may, by notification in the official \r\nGazette, on the recommendation of the Council , make rules for carrying out the \r\npurposes of this Act.  \r\n(2) Notwithstanding the generality of the power provided under sub-section (1), \r\nGovernment may make rules for the purposes of this Act.  \r\n21. Power to frame regulations .– The Council may, subject to the provisions of this \r\nAct and the rules made thereunder , and after approval by the Government, frame \r\nregulations for conduct of its business. \r\n22. Offence to be punishable and triable .– Notwithstanding anything contained in \r\nthe Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, an offence punishable under this Act shall be \r\nbailable and triable under the provisions of this Act by a Judicial Magistrate.  \r\n23. Cognizance of an offence .– No court shall take cognizance of an offence under \r\nthis Act except upon a complaint in writing by the Secretary, Specialized Healthcare and \r\nMedical Education Department or Chief Executive Officer, District Health Authority or any \r\nofficer on their behalf authorized by them.   \r\n24. Act to override other laws .– This Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything \r\ncontained in any other law for the time being in force.  \r\n25. Indemnity.– No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall be made against \r\nany person for anything which is done in good faith or intended to be done under this \r\nAct.  \r\n26. Removal of difficulties .– If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any of the \r\nprovisions of this Act, Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make such \r\norder not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as it may consider necessary for the \r\npurpose of removal of difficulty.",
  "passage_offset_convention": "zero-based Unicode code points and UTF8 bytes; end exclusive",
  "passages": [
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-0-1756:033b9f696962035c5357f526460eff9e4efc689659115742a0ca1d3c8c09882f",
      "character_start": 0,
      "character_end": 1756,
      "utf8_byte_start": 0,
      "utf8_byte_end": 1766,
      "passage_sha256": "033b9f696962035c5357f526460eff9e4efc689659115742a0ca1d3c8c09882f",
      "reader_fragment": "p-0-1756-033b9f696962035c"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-1756-3556:194c6316cf314364ad48e88939793602faf7175fa1f30a91d132dd0d07c53eb8",
      "character_start": 1756,
      "character_end": 3556,
      "utf8_byte_start": 1766,
      "utf8_byte_end": 3628,
      "passage_sha256": "194c6316cf314364ad48e88939793602faf7175fa1f30a91d132dd0d07c53eb8",
      "reader_fragment": "p-1756-3556-194c6316cf314364"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-3556-5338:dcb0e3f8adbec83845f2537b4082ac82a22c74a77798abf4c217b66d3da7f632",
      "character_start": 3556,
      "character_end": 5338,
      "utf8_byte_start": 3628,
      "utf8_byte_end": 5412,
      "passage_sha256": "dcb0e3f8adbec83845f2537b4082ac82a22c74a77798abf4c217b66d3da7f632",
      "reader_fragment": "p-3556-5338-dcb0e3f8adbec838"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-5338-7095:4419a2d8de9a12e494ce4335d3cafaccf73db061690dab53ca1cbd38c0474179",
      "character_start": 5338,
      "character_end": 7095,
      "utf8_byte_start": 5412,
      "utf8_byte_end": 7171,
      "passage_sha256": "4419a2d8de9a12e494ce4335d3cafaccf73db061690dab53ca1cbd38c0474179",
      "reader_fragment": "p-5338-7095-4419a2d8de9a12e4"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-7095-8843:3b71fd8fd868a7f6d7eea5a4042f57608cfb7edc1bfafb7f21fed0673f14572a",
      "character_start": 7095,
      "character_end": 8843,
      "utf8_byte_start": 7171,
      "utf8_byte_end": 8925,
      "passage_sha256": "3b71fd8fd868a7f6d7eea5a4042f57608cfb7edc1bfafb7f21fed0673f14572a",
      "reader_fragment": "p-7095-8843-3b71fd8fd868a7f6"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-8843-10584:44da6b20edbdce178b5e4a738fd03c7bc2173f62e22de407fe5e01ca4c506440",
      "character_start": 8843,
      "character_end": 10584,
      "utf8_byte_start": 8925,
      "utf8_byte_end": 10678,
      "passage_sha256": "44da6b20edbdce178b5e4a738fd03c7bc2173f62e22de407fe5e01ca4c506440",
      "reader_fragment": "p-8843-10584-44da6b20edbdce17"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-10584-12353:138a2774bca8d4afca85e7546bcffdc9ac1944da47fdc4f61cb93b3db95ff9f5",
      "character_start": 10584,
      "character_end": 12353,
      "utf8_byte_start": 10678,
      "utf8_byte_end": 12457,
      "passage_sha256": "138a2774bca8d4afca85e7546bcffdc9ac1944da47fdc4f61cb93b3db95ff9f5",
      "reader_fragment": "p-10584-12353-138a2774bca8d4af"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-12353-14080:6c553390e1ea506f647b2b12ef372f3c0eb4582ca9f11f4fe36a2407431db6f8",
      "character_start": 12353,
      "character_end": 14080,
      "utf8_byte_start": 12457,
      "utf8_byte_end": 14192,
      "passage_sha256": "6c553390e1ea506f647b2b12ef372f3c0eb4582ca9f11f4fe36a2407431db6f8",
      "reader_fragment": "p-12353-14080-6c553390e1ea506f"
    },
    {
      "passage_id": "law:punjab-code-dc51d224314a2c0c:sha256:312b656e730faf52da1f8fc7f298f01791f4771a28a3f45d59430af73c217138:chars-14080-15641:e119df94bc847cc81b445a1a066d5271d7248ada7a81efb6659f4953dab139a4",
      "character_start": 14080,
      "character_end": 15641,
      "utf8_byte_start": 14192,
      "utf8_byte_end": 15765,
      "passage_sha256": "e119df94bc847cc81b445a1a066d5271d7248ada7a81efb6659f4953dab139a4",
      "reader_fragment": "p-14080-15641-e119df94bc847cc8"
    }
  ]
}