Punjab’s Proposed Anti-Social Behavior Bill Faces Backlash

The Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders and Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, currently under review by the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law, aims to broaden the state's reach under the guise of public order. By shifting the power to impose sanctions from the courtroom to unelected intelligence committees, the legislation creates a framework where property seizures and intense surveillance can occur without proven guilt.

Critics argue this shift represents a dangerous erosion of civil rights. Yousuf Nazar, a former Citigroup executive, has been among the most vocal opponents, warning that the bill’s vague definition of anti-social behavior invites systemic abuse. Without the necessity of judicial oversight, these executive committees would wield unchecked discretionary power, leaving citizens vulnerable to state-sanctioned actions that lack traditional legal safeguards.