PPC § 390 — Robbery

Statutory text (English)

In all robbery there is either theft or extortion.
When theft is robbery. Theft is “robbery” if, in order to the committing of the theft, or in
committing the theft, or in carrying away or attempting to carry away property obtained by the theft,
the offender, for that end, voluntarily causes or attempts to cause to any person death or hurt or
wrongful restraint, or fear of instant death or of instant hurt, or of instant wrongful restraint.
When extortion is robbery. Extortion is “robbery” if the offender, at the time of committing
the extortion, is in the presence of the person put in fear, and commits the extortion by putting that
person in fear of instant death, of instant hurt, or of instant wrongful restraint to that person, or to some
other person, and, by so putting in fear, induces the person so put in fear then and there to deliver up
the thing extorted.

Explanation.— The offender is said to be present if he is sufficiently near to put the other person
in fear of instant death, of instant hurt, or of instant wrongful restraint.
Illustrations
(a) A holds Z down, and fraudulently takes Z’s money and jewels from Z’s clothes,
without Z’s consent. Here A has committed theft, and, in order to the committing
of that theft, has voluntarily caused wrongful restraint to Z. A has therefore
committed robbery.
(b) A meets Z on the high-road, shows a pistol, and demands Z’s purse. Z, in
consequence, surrenders his purse. Here A has extorted the purse from Z by
putting him in fear of instant hurt, and being at the time of committing the
extortion in his presence. A has therefore committed robbery.
(c) A meets Z and Z’s child on the high-road. A takes the child, and threatens to
fling it down a precipice, unless Z deliver his purse. Z, in consequence, delivers
his purse. Here A has extorted the purse from Z, by causing Z to be in fear of
instant hurt to the child who is there present. A has therefore committed robbery
on Z.
(d) A obtains property from Z by saying—“Your child is in the hands of my gang,
and will be put to death unless you send us ten thousand rupees.” This is
extortion, and punishable as such: but it is not robbery, unless Z is put in fear of
the instant death of his child.

Source and verification

Source citation: PPC (Act XLV of 1860) s.390: Pakistan Code portal consolidated official PDF 'THE PAKISTAN PENAL CODE' (Act No. XLV of 1860), p. 139, 140, 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. 139, 140) — reflects all amendments recorded in the official footnotes up to ingest date 2026-09-15. Automated transcription; per-amendment…

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