Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (Repeal by W.P. Act. XXXVi of 1958))

This is a very short, very old law from 1897 that gave provincial and (later) federal authorities emergency powers to control the spread of dangerous epidemic diseases when the ordinary law was considered insufficient to deal with an outbreak. Importantly, the title itself and a footnote in the source text indicate that this Act was repealed in its application to the former Province of West Pakistan by West Pakistan Act No. 36 of 1958 -- so its practical applicability today is limited, and anyone researching current epidemic-control powers should look for the law that replaced it in the relevant province rather than relying on this text as currently operative.

Section 2 allowed the Provincial Government, when satisfied that a province or part of it was affected by, or under threat of, a dangerous epidemic, to take special measures and issue temporary public regulations, including inspecting travellers (for example, on trains) and segregating -- effectively quarantining -- people suspected of being infected, either in a hospital or in temporary accommodation.

Section 2A, added later, gave the Federal Government a parallel power focused on international/maritime movement: when satisfied that Pakistan or part of it faced an epidemic outbreak and existing laws were insufficient, the Federal Government could prescribe regulations for inspecting ships arriving at or leaving Pakistani ports, and for detaining such vessels or people sailing on them as necessary.

Section 3 made disobeying any regulation or order issued under the Act a punishable offence under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code -- this Act does not itself specify a separate fine or imprisonment term, so any penalty would come from that Penal Code provision. Section 4 protected officials and others acting in good faith under the Act from being sued.

Given its 1897 origin and the West Pakistan repeal noted in the title, this Act is best understood today as a historical predecessor to modern public health emergency laws rather than a currently applicable framework.