LAHORE: The Punjab government has put the proposed Punjab Habitual Offenders Bill 2026 on hold after the Speaker of Punjab Assembly raised objections, referring the legislation back to the Home Department’s Standing Committee for further review. The bill aims to introduce a legal framework for identifying and monitoring individuals classified as habitual offenders.
Key provisions of the bill
Under the draft law, a District Intelligence Committee would be empowered to investigate cases and declare a person a habitual offender.
The proposed legislation classifies spreading false information on social media as an anti-social act and also covers offenses such as hate speech, promotion of inflammatory material, public display of weapons and harassment of women.
The bill further proposes that individuals declared habitual offenders could be required to wear electronic monitoring devices.
It also seeks to grant the District Intelligence Committee broad powers, including the authority to freeze the bank accounts of individuals designated as habitual offenders.
Opposition objects to the Habitual Offenders Bill 2026
Punjab Assembly’s Opposition Leader Moin Riaz Qureshi criticized the proposed legislation. He called it a violation of fundamental rights, adding that the Habitual Offenders Bill would deal a serious blow to democratic values ​​and freedom of expression.
“The government is bringing the Habitual Offenders Bill to suppress people,” he said, adding that the PML-N had previously introduced NAB laws that ultimately backfired on the party itself.
Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan said he was unaware of the Habitual Offenders Bill 2026 when it was initially tabled. He explained that another member was presiding over the session on the day it was introduced, and he was also absent when the committee’s report was presented.
“The bill has now been referred to the committee. If the government does not place it on the assembly agenda, Government Chief Whip Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman will discuss the matter,” the Speaker said.
The Punjab government has not announced when the revised draft will be presented before the provincial assembly following the committee’s review.
