Public Order (Meetings) Ordinance, 1958

This 1958 Ordinance was enacted to preserve public order at public meetings, originally applying only to Karachi Division. Section 2 defines a "meeting" as one held to discuss or express views on matters of public interest, and a "public meeting" as any meeting in a public place or one the public (or a section of it) is permitted to attend, whether free or paid. "Public place" is defined broadly to include highways, parks, beaches, bridges, roads, and any open space the public may access.

Section 3 makes it an offence to act in a disorderly manner at a public meeting for the purpose of disrupting the business the meeting was called for, and it is equally an offence to incite others to do so. Section 4 prohibits anyone -- other than a public servant acting in that capacity -- from carrying an offensive weapon while present at a public meeting. Section 5 makes it an offence to use threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour in a public place or at a public meeting, either intending to provoke a breach of the peace or where a breach of the peace is likely to result.

Section 6 makes all offences under the Ordinance cognizable and non-bailable, overriding the ordinary rules in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. Section 7 sets the penalty: rigorous imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine, or both.

This is an old ordinance (1958), and its footnotes show its geographic scope was later adjusted by amendment (originally the "Federal Territory of Karachi," later "Karachi Division"), so its exact current territorial application and any further amendments should be checked against the official text.