CrPC § 342 — Power to examine the accused

Statutory text (English)

(1) For the purpose of enabling the accused to explain any
circumstances appearing in the evidence against him, the Court may, at any stage of any inquiry or trial
without previously warning the accused, put such questions to him as the Court considers necessary, and
shall, for the purpose aforesaid, question him generally on the case after the witnesses for the prosecution
have been examined and before he is called on for his defence.

(2) The accused shall not render himself liable to punishment by refusing to answer such
questions, or by giving false answers to them; but the Court 1* * *may draw such inference from
such refusal or answers as it thinks just.

(3) The answers given by the accused may be taken into consideration in such inquiry or trial,
and put in evidence for or against him in any other inquiry into, or trial for, any other offence which
such answers may tend to show he has committed.
2[
(4) Except as provided by sub-section

(2) of section 340, no oath shall be administered to the
accused.]

Source and verification

Source citation: CrPC (Act V of 1898) s.342: Pakistan Code portal consolidated official PDF 'THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE' (Act No. V of 1898, last amended 2017-02-16), p. 127, 128, ingested 2026-09-15. Automated transcription from official source (pypdf extraction, audited artifact repair); human admin re-check required before production.

Verification status: verified · Text status: auto_transcribed_verified_source

The record cites an official source, but its transcription is automated or only partly checked; a human re-check is pending.

Official Urdu text status: pending_official_urdu_text. Where official Urdu wording has not been sourced, Qanoon does not substitute an unverified translation for the statutory text.

Historical text notes

1 historical record is linked to this section. Historical wording may be incomplete or pending verification; it is not presented as current law.

• Date not confirmed: Consolidated current text as published in the official Pakistan Code PDF (p. 127, 128) — reflects all amendments recorded in the official footnotes up to ingest date 2026-09-15. Automated transcription; per-amendment…

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