Indecent Advertisements prohibition Act, 1963

This Act prohibits the publication and display of "indecent" advertisements across Pakistan. Section 2 defines "advertisement" broadly to include notices, circulars, documents displayed on buildings or walls, newspaper or periodical content, and oral or light/sound announcements (but excludes drug trade circulars sent to medical practitioners). "Indecent" is defined expansively as anything that incites sensuality or impure thoughts, tends to deprave or corrupt an ordinary person's mind, or is detrimental to public morals.

Section 3 prohibits anyone from taking part in publishing an indecent advertisement, and prohibits anyone controlling property or a public place from knowingly allowing an indecent advertisement to be displayed or announced there. Section 4 sets penalties: a first conviction can bring imprisonment up to six months, a fine, or both, while a subsequent conviction can bring imprisonment up to one year, a fine, or both (the extract does not specify a fine amount).

Section 5 lets an authorised person seize and detain documents or items believed to contain an indecent advertisement, with the trial court able to order forfeiture to the government. Section 6 extends liability to company officers when the offending party is a company, unless they prove lack of knowledge or due diligence, and further extends liability to directors or managers whose consent or neglect contributed to the offence.

Section 7 allows a police officer of sub-inspector rank or above to file a complaint. Section 8 restricts trials to a Magistrate of the first class or higher. Section 12 lets the provincial government exempt drug advertisements from the display prohibition, and Section 13 gives the provincial government rule-making power.

This is an old law from 1963; readers relying on it for a specific fine amount for a first or subsequent conviction should check the current official text, as the extract available here does not specify precise fine figures.