Constitution 1973 § Article 159 — Broadcasting and telecasting

Statutory text (English)

(1) The Federal Government shall not unreasonably refuse
to entrust to a Provincial Government such functions with respect to broadcasting and telecasting as may
be necessary to enable that Government—
(a) to construct and use transmitters in the Province; and
(b) to regulate, and impose fees in respect of, the construction and use of transmitters
and the use of receiving apparatus in the Province:

Provided that nothing in this clause shall be construed as requiring the Federal Government to
entrust to any Provincial Government any control over the use of transmitters constructed or maintained
by the Federal Government or by persons authorised by the Federal Government, or over the use of
receiving apparatus by person so authorised.

(2) Any functions so entrusted to a Provincial Government shall be exercised subject to such
conditions as may be imposed by the Federal Government, including, notwithstanding anything contained
in the Constitution, any conditions with respect to finance, but it shall not be lawful for the Federal
Government so to impose any conditions regulating the matter broadcast or telecast by, or by authority of,
the Provincial Government.

(3) Any Federal law with respect to broadcasting and tele-casting shall be such as to secure that
effect can be given to the foregoing provisions of this Article.

(4) If any question arises whether any conditions imposed on any Provincial Government are
lawfully imposed, or whether any refusal by the Federal Government to entrust functions is unreasonable,
the question shall be determined by an arbitrator appointed by the Chief Justice of 2[Federal Constitutional
Court].

(5) Nothing in this Article shall be construed as restricting the powers of the Federal Government
under the Constitution for the prevention of any grave menace to the peace or tranquillity of Pakistan or
any part thereof.

Source and verification

Source citation: Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, Art. 159: Pakistan Code portal consolidated official PDF 'THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN' (incl. 26th Amdt Act 2024 & 27th Amdt Act 2025), p. 73, 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. 73) — reflects all amendments recorded in the official footnotes up to ingest date 2026-09-15. Automated transcription; per-amendment version…

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