Police Act, 1888

The Police Act, 1888 is a short law dealing with how police officers can work across provincial boundaries within Pakistan, rather than setting out general policing powers (which come from other legislation like the Police Act, 1861). Section 1 confirms the Act extends to the whole of Pakistan.

Section 2 lets the Federal Government create a "special police district" that spans parts of two or more provinces by official notification, and gives police officers within that combined district the same powers, duties and privileges across the whole district that they would normally have only within their own province. An officer specifically empowered by the Federal Government can even exercise the powers of a station house officer anywhere within that special district. Section 2(4) clarifies that including part of a province in such a district does not remove it from that province for other legal purposes.

Section 3 allows a police officer from one province to perform police duties anywhere else in Pakistan, subject to any directions the Federal Government may issue, and treats that officer as if belonging to the local police force while doing so -- with the same powers and the same liabilities.

Section 4 puts a check on this cross-border authority: police from one province cannot exercise powers and jurisdiction inside another province (outside railway areas) without that other province's government consenting. Given the Act is from 1888 and has been repeatedly amended (the extract shows several "Subs. by A.O." amendment notes changing terms like "Central Government" to "Federal Government"), current practice and terminology should be checked against the official current text.