PPC § 153A — Promoting enmity between different groups, etc

Statutory text (English)

Whoever,—
(a) by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representations or
otherwise, promotes or incites, or attempts to promote or incite, on grounds of
religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any
other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will
between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or
communities; or
(b) commits, or incites any other person to commit, any act which is prejudicial to
the maintenance of harmony between different religious, racial, language or
regional groups or castes, or communities or any group of persons identifiable
as such on any ground whatsoever and which disturbs or is likely to disturb
public tranquility; or
(c) organizes, or incites any other person to organize, any exercise, movement, drill
or other similar activity intending that the participants in any such activity shall
use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or knowing it to be likely that
the participants in any such activity will use or be trained to use criminal force
or violence, or participates, or incites any other person to participate, in any such
activity intending to use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or
knowing it to be likely that the participants in any such activity will use or be
trained to use criminal force or violence, against any religious, racial, language
or regional group or caste or community or any group of persons identifiable as
such on any ground whatsoever and any such activity for any reason whatsoever
causes or is likely to cause fear or alarm or a feeling of insecurity amongst
members of such religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or
community,
shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine.

Explanation.— It does not amount to an offence within the meaning of this section to point out,
without malicious intention and with an honest view to their removal, matters which are producing, or
have a tendency to produce, feelings of enmity or hatred between different religious, racial, language
or regional groups or castes or communities].

Source and verification

Source citation: PPC (Act XLV of 1860) s.153A: Pakistan Code portal consolidated official PDF 'THE PAKISTAN PENAL CODE' (Act No. XLV of 1860), p. 66, 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. 66) — reflects all amendments recorded in the official footnotes up to ingest date 2026-09-15. Automated transcription; per-amendment version…

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