THE MUSIC IN MUSLIM SHRINES ACT, 1942 [Pakistan]
(Punjab Act VII of 1942)
C O N T E N T S
SECTIONS
1. Short title and extent.
2. Definitions.
3. Punishment for singing or dancing in Muslim Shrines.
4. Punishment for abetment.
5. Procedure.
[1]THE MUSIC IN MUSLIM SHRINES ACT, 1942
(Punjab Act VII of 1942)
[1 May 1942]
An Act to restrict singing and dancing in Muslim Shrines
It is hereby enacted as follows:-
1. Short title and extent.— (1) This Act may be called the Music in Muslim Shrines Act, 1942.
(2) It extends to the whole of the Punjab.
2. Definitions.— For the purposes of this Act the expression “Muslim Shrine” shall mean a shrine of a recognised Muslim saint and shall include the premises of the shrine and the premises owned by and attached to the shrine.
3. Punishment for singing or dancing in Muslim Shrines.— If any woman or girl sings to the accompaniment of a musical instrument or dances with or without a musical instrument in a Muslim Shrine, she shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to be punished with fine not exceeding five hundred rupees or with imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding six months or with both such fine and imprisonment.
4. Punishment for abetment.— If any person abets an offence punishable under the last preceding section, he shall, whether such offence be or be not committed in consequence of such abetment, and notwithstanding anything contained in section 116 of the [2][Pakistan] Penal Code[3], be liable on conviction to be punished with the punishment provided for the offence.
6. Procedure.— An offence punishable under this Act shall be cognizable, bailable, non-compoundable and triable by a magistrate of the first class.
[1]For statement of objects and reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette, 1941, Part V, page 37; for Report of the Select Committee, see ibid., 1941, pages 56-57 and ibid., 1942, pages 13-16; for Proceedings in Assembly, see Punjab Legislative Assembly Debates, Volume IX page 852, Volume XIV, pages 782-89 and Volume XVIII, pages 251-52 and 674-87.
This Act received the assent of the Governor-General on 25th April, 1942, and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated: 1st May, 1942.
[2]Substituted, for the word “Indian”, by the Punjab Laws (Adaptation, Revision and Repeal) Act, 1954 (XV of 1955), section 2, Schedule I, Part II.
[3]XLV of 1860.
