The Punjab Horticulture Authority Act 2025

^{^[1]}THE PUNJAB HORTICULTURE AUTHORITY ACT 2025

(Act LXX of 2025)

[05^th August 2025]

An Act to provide for establishment of the Punjab Horticulture Authority.

It is necessary to establish the Punjab Horticulture Authority to regulate, develop and maintain public parks, green belts and green areas in the Punjab; regulate billboards, sky signs and outdoor advertisements and provide for the matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto.

It is hereby enacted as follows:

1. Short title, extent, application and commencement.- (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab Horticulture Authority Act 2025.

(2) It extends to whole of the Punjab.

(3) It applies to the areas of district Lahore, areas notified under repealed Act and such other areas as the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, specify under the Act.

(4) It shall come into force at once.

2. Definitions.- In the Act:

(a) “Act” means the Punjab Horticulture Authority Act 2025;

(b) “Agency” means the Agency established under the Act;

(d) “billboard” includes an advertisement fixed, placed or displayed on a structure other than a building;

(e) “Director General” means the Director General of the Authority;

(f) “empowering authority” means any authority, local government or other entity empowered to allow use of a public park, green belt or green area in any manner or to grant permission for installation of a billboard, sky sign, outdoor advertisement or advertisement prior to the commencement of the Act;

(g) “Fund” means the Punjab Horticulture Authority Fund established under the Act;

(h) “Government” means Government of the Punjab;

(i) “green area” means any area notified under the Act as green area which is required to be kept green other than a public park or green belt and includes a notified play ground;

(j) “green belt” means an area notified under the Act as green belt other than a public park which is kept as an open space in any locality or area either in pursuance of a development plan or otherwise;

(k) “Heritage Park” means any area having historical, traditional or cultural value notified under the Act;

(l) “Managing Director” means the Managing Director of the Agency;

(m) “outdoor advertisement” means a streamer, board, poster, banner, or any other thing placed, painted, pasted or installed on a public or private building or property so that it is visible from a public place and which is intended to inform the reader of the availability of a service, product or outlet or otherwise promote a person or a message;

(n) “person” includes a body owned or controlled by the Federal Government or the Government or any other Provincial Government, or a company, association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not;

(o) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules or regulations made or framed under the Act;

(p) “private land authority” means any natural or legal person engaged in the development of land or maintenance of an area or provision of municipal services other than a public land authority;

(q) “public land authority” includes a statutory or executive body established by the Government for development of land or engaged in the development of land or maintenance of an area or provision of municipal services;

(r) “public park” includes a park or space reserved for use as a public park and notified under the Act as a public park;

(s) “regulations” means the regulations framed under the Act;

(t) “repealed Act” means the Act repealed under sub-section (1) of section 41 of the Act;

(u) “rules” means the rules made under the Act;

(v) “sky sign” means a sign installed on a building for its view from a distance; and

(w) “vehicle” includes mechanically propelled vehicle and a human or animal driven carriage.

3. Establishment of Authority.- (1) The Government shall, by notification in the official Gazette, establish an Authority to be known as the Punjab Horticulture Authority for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

(2) The Authority shall be a body corporate, having perpetual succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and dispose of movable or immovable property and shall, by the said name, sue and be sued.

(3) The Authority shall not dispose of its immovable property without prior approval of the Government.

4. Composition of Authority.- (1) The Authority shall consist of:

(a)	Chief Minister or his nominee.	Chairperson
(b)	a person to be nominated by the Chief Minister.	Vice Chairperson
(c)	Minister for Housing, Urban Development & Public Health Engineering	Member
(d)	Parliamentary Secretary for Housing, Urban Development & Public Health Engineering	Member
(e)	Chairperson of each Agency.	Members
(f)	Chairman Planning and Development Board or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(g)	Secretary to the Government, Finance Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(h)	Secretary to the Government, Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(i)	Secretary to the Government, Local Government and Community Development Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(j)	Secretary to the Government, Environment Protection and Climate Change Department or his representative not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(k)	Managing Directors of each Agency.	Members
(l)	four technical experts including at least one female.	Members
(m)	Director General.	Member/ Secretary

(2) The Chief Minister may nominate a person as Vice Chairperson for such period as he may deem fit.

(3) The Members at clause (l) of sub-section (1), shall be nominated by the Chief Minister for a period of three years but they shall serve during the pleasure of the Chief Minister.

(4) The Vice Chairperson or Member at clause (l) of sub-section (1), may resign from his office by submitting his written resignation to the Chief Minister.

(5) The Chairperson may co-opt any other expert for assistance in a meeting but such co-opted expert shall not have any right to vote.

(6) No act, decision, order or proceedings of the Authority shall be invalid by reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Authority.

5. Meetings of Authority.– (1) The Authority shall meet, at least, once in three months at such time and place and observe such procedure with regard to transaction of its business as may be prescribed by the regulations and until so prescribed, as the Authority may determine.

(2) The meetings of the Authority shall be presided over by the Chairperson, or in his absence, by the Vice Chairperson and if both the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson are not available, then by a Member so elected by the Members present.

(3) The quorum for a meeting of the Authority shall be one half of its total membership.

(4) The decisions of the Authority shall be taken by majority of its Members present and voting and in the event of equality of votes, the Chairperson or the person presiding over the meeting, as the case may be, shall have the casting vote.

(5) The Director General shall maintain a complete record of the minutes of the meeting of the Authority.

(6) No act, decision, order or proceedings of the Authority shall be invalid by reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Authority.

6. Powers and functions of Authority.- (1) The Authority shall oversee and supervise the functions of the Agency for the purposes of the Act.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the Authority shall:

(a) give policy directions to an Agency to develop and maintain public parks, green belts, green areas, and protect trees and other vegetation;

(b) regulate use of public parks, green belts and green areas;

(d) regulate installation of billboards, sky signs and outdoor advertisements on private or public property;

(e) constitute committees for performing specific functions;

(f) approve its annual budget;

(g) follow the policy directions of the Government and comply with general or special directions of the Government through itself or its Agency; and

(h) perform such other functions or exercise such other powers as may be necessary and ancillary to the foregoing functions and powers.

7. Director General.- (1) The Chief Minister shall, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by him, appoint the Director General of the Authority for a period of three years but he shall serve during the pleasure of the Chief Minister.

(2) Notwithstanding the expiration of the term of the Director General, Chief Minister may allow him to continue to hold office for a further period of three months or till his successor enters upon his office, whichever is earlier.

(3) The Director General shall be responsible for general administration of the Authority and shall perform such other functions as provided under the Act or assigned to him by the Authority.

(4) The Director General shall:

(a) be the whole-time officer of the Authority;

(b) be the principal accounting officer of the Authority; and

(5) The outgoing Director General shall, subject to fulfilling criteria, be eligible for re-appointment as Director General.

(6) The Director General may resign from his office by submitting his written resignation to the Chief Minister.

8. Establishment of Agency.- (1) Upon commencement of the Act, the Authorities reflected in column 1 below, shall be deemed to have been established as Agencies as reflected in column 2 below and continue to work as Agencies in the areas for which they were established under the repealed Act, unless altered, modified or changed by the Government and shall be governed under the Act:

Column 1	Column 2
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Lahore.	Horticulture Agency, Lahore.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Gujranwala.	Horticulture Agency, Gujranwala.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Sargodha.	Horticulture Agency, Sargodha.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Sialkot.	Horticulture Agency, Sialkot.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Rawalpindi.	Horticulture Agency, Rawalpindi.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Faisalabad.	Horticulture Agency, Faisalabad.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Multan.	Horticulture Agency, Multan.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Sahiwal.	Horticulture Agency, Sahiwal.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Bahawalpur.	Horticulture Agency, Bahawalpur.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Gujrat.	Horticulture Agency, Gujrat.
Parks and Horticulture Authority, Dera Ghazi Khan.	Horticulture Agency, Dera Ghazi Khan.

(2) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, establish one or more Agencies, other than the Agencies provided under sub-section (1), for such area as provided in such notification for the purposes of the Act.

(3) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, entrust to any existing Agency to provide such service in such area as may be provided in such notification.

9. Composition of Agency.- (1) Each Agency shall consist of Chairperson to be nominated by the Chief Minister and the following Members:

(a)	representative of Housing, Urban Development and Pubic Health Engineering Department, not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(b)	representative of Local Government and Community Development Department, not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(c)	representative of Environment Protection and Climate Change Department, not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(d)	representative of Finance Department not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(e)	representative of Planning and Development Board, not below the rank of Additional Secretary.	Member
(f)	two Members of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, including one female Member, to be nominated by the Chief Minister.	Members
(g)	Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district.	Member
(h)	an officer of the Authority nominated by it.	Member
(i)	three technical experts, including at least one female.	Members
(j)	Managing Director.	Member/Secretary

(2) The Chairperson of the Agency shall be nominated by the Chief Minister for such a period as the Chief Minister deems fit but he shall serve during the pleasure of the Chief Minister.

(3) The Members at clause (i) of sub-section (1), shall be nominated by the Chief Minister for a period of three years but they shall serve during the pleasure of the Chief Minister.

(4) The Member at clause (i) of sub-section (1), may resign from his office by submitting his written resignation to the Chief Minister.

10. Meetings of Agency.– (1) The Agency shall meet, at least, once in three months at such time and place and observe such procedure with regard to transaction of its business as may be determined by its Chairperson.

(2) The meetings of the Agency shall be presided over by the Chairperson, or, in his absence, by the Member nominated by the Chairperson and if so not possible, then by a Member, from amongst the Members, so elected by the Members present.

(3) The quorum for a meeting of the Agency shall be one half of its total Members.

(4) The decisions of the Agency shall be taken by majority of its Members present and voting and in the event of equality of votes, the Chairperson or the person presiding over the meeting, as the case may be, shall have the casting vote.

(5) The Managing Director shall maintain complete record of the minutes of the meeting of the Agency.

(6) No act, decision, order or proceedings of the Agency shall be invalid by reason of any vacancy or defect in the constitution of the Agency.

11. Powers and functions of Agency.- (1) The Agency may perform such functions and exercise such powers, within its area as are necessary for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions of sub-section (1), the Agency shall have power to:

(a) develop and maintain public parks, green belts, green areas and urban forests;

(b) administer use of public parks, green belts and green areas;

(d) administer the installation of billboards, sky signs, digital screens, outdoor advertisements on private or public property in the manner as may be prescribed by the Authority;

(e) establish and maintain botanical gardens for the purposes of the Act;

(f) create awareness about horticulture, promote gardening and ensure preservation of existing horticulture works in its area;

(g) organize shows and exhibitions pertaining to horticulture, aviculture and cultural entertainment;

(h) protect trees and other vegetation:

provided that it may consider cutting of trees on case to case basis by ensuring adequate replacement;

(i) create awareness about horticulture and promote gardening;

(j) acquire land for the development of any public park, green belt, or green area;

(k) procure machinery, equipment or material as may be required for the proper discharge of its functions;

(l) grant a service contract for the maintenance of public parks, green belts or green areas to any private or public limited company in accordance with the prevailing law; and

(m) place, after its recommendation, its annual budget before the Authority for approval.

(3) The Agency may also undertake such other functions entrusted to it under any other law for the time being in force.

(4) Under intimation to the Authority, the Agency may, subject to its capacity, perform such functions or execute such schemes as entrusted to it by the Government, local government or any other authority or agency established under any other law for the time being in force.

12. Managing Director.- (1) The Managing Director for each Agency shall be appointed by the Chief Minister for a period of three years on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed through rules and, until so prescribed, as may be determined by the Chief Minister, but he shall serve during the pleasure of the Chief Minister.

(2) Notwithstanding the expiration of the term of the Managing Director, Chief Minister may allow him to continue to hold office for a further period of three months or till his successor enter upon his office, whichever is earlier.

(3) The Managing Director shall:

(a) be the whole-time officer of the Agency;

(b) have the general management of the business of the Agency;

(d) exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as may be entrusted to him by the Agency.

13. Heritage Park.- (1) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, declare an area as Heritage Park to conserve the heritage or culture and to preserve, conserve and develop the flora and fauna for the present and future generations.

(2) The Heritage Park shall be maintained and developed by the Agency in the prescribed manner.

14. Public park, green belts and green areas.- The Government may by notification in the official Gazette, declare a park or area reserved for use as a public park or an area or any space as a public park, green belt or green area or playground, as the case may be.

15. Use of public parks, green belts and green areas.- (1) If any person intends to use a public park, green belt or green area for any purpose other than the normal use of the place, he shall make an application, in writing, to the concerned Agency.

(2) If the intended use affects the rights of the neighbours or residents of the area in general, the Agency shall invite objections from them and decide the objections before taking a decision.

(3) The Agency shall not grant permission if the intended use affects the rights of the neighbours or residents of the area to the free and uninterrupted use of the roads abutting the public park, green belt or green area or results in the conversion of the public park or green area or green belt into any other thing or changes the general outlook of the locality.

(4) The Agency shall not grant permission for a period exceeding fifteen days if the intended use is likely to bring, directly or indirectly, any financial benefit to the applicant or any other person.

(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Act, the Agency shall not grant permission for using any public park, green belt or green area as a parking place.

(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3) and sub-section (4), the Agency may, for such initial or extended period and on payment of such fee as it may determine, grant permission for the deployment of an allocated area of a public park for provision of food, playing facilities, sale of plants, horticultural equipment, books or for any other purpose if that activity does not adversely affect the ambience, character and outlook of the public park.

(7) Where the Agency gives permission for use of a public park, green belt or green area, it shall issue a permission order indicating the duration and nature of the permission and other terms and conditions mentioned in the order and such order shall be duly displayed at a prominent place of the public park, green belt or green area.

16. Access to private property.- (1) Where a green belt or green area lies between a property and a service lane or public road, the owner of the property may, subject to the permission by the Agency, use the green belt for accessing his property in a reasonable manner but the permission shall be restricted to the extent of acquiring access and shall, in no manner, be deemed to allow the use of any part of the green belt for any other purpose or the use of the entire green belt or green area abutting the property for the purposes of access.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), a person shall not, in any manner, use or change the nature of any green belt for the purpose of acquiring access to a service lane from the main road.

17. Installation of billboards, sky signs and outdoor advertisements.- (1) If any person intends to install a billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement in any manner on private or public property or public park, green belt or green area, he shall make an application in the prescribed manner to the Agency.

(2) If the billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement affects the rights of the neighbours or residents of the area in general or road users, the Agency shall invite objections from them and decide the objections before taking a decision.

(3) The Agency shall not grant permission if the installation of the billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement affects the rights of road users to safe and secure usage or view of the residents or provision of light and air, or the view or sanctity of a historical monument.

(4) The permission for installation of billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement shall include such safety measures as may be determined by the Agency or as may be prescribed, and shall not, in any case, exceed such period as the Agency may determine or as may be prescribed.

(5) A person shall not install or continue installation of a billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement except in accordance with the permission of the Agency.

(6) Where the Agency gives permission for installation of a billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement, it shall issue a permission number which shall be displayed on the billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement.

(7) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) and while acting in accordance with the provisions of sub-sections (2) to (6), the Agency may identify public places for installation of billboards, sky signs, and outdoor advertisements and may allow the installation of billboards, sky signs, and outdoor advertisements at these places on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed.

(8) The Agency may charge such fee as may be prescribed by the Authority for grant of permission for installation of a billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement.

(9) The Agency may lease, in the prescribed manner, any of its sites or poles, for outdoor advertisement, for such initial or extended period and on such terms and conditions as the Authority may determine or as may be prescribed.

18. Advertisements on vehicles.- (1) No person shall display any advertisement on any vehicle or any other moveable property except with the prior permission of the Agency.

(2) The Agency may charge such fees as for the grant of permission to display advertisements on vehicles as the Authority may approve.

(3) The Agency shall not grant permission to display an advertisement on a vehicle for a period exceeding twelve months.

(4) The Agency shall issue a permission number for display on the advertisement.

(5) The Agency shall not give permission for an advertisement which is against public morals or promotes an activity or product the performance or sale of which, is barred by law.

19. Regulations regarding green areas.- (1) The Agency shall determine the extent of a planned area to be reserved and maintained as a public park, green belt or green area.

(2) A public land authority or a private land authority shall obtain prior sanction of the Agency for any development plan.

(3) The Agency may obtain a copy of the development plan or land use plan of a public land authority or a private land authority which contains detailed specifications of the areas reserved as public parks, green areas or green belts and the public or private land authority shall, within thirty days, provide the development plan or land use plan to the Agency.

(4) The Agency shall determine:

(a) the level of green belts from the road and the method and way of their planting and maintenance;

(b) the percentage of a public park that may be reserved for parking and provision of food;

(d) the maintenance and usage of a green area.

20. Maintenance of public parks, green belts and green areas.- (1) The Agency shall undertake beautification and maintenance of areas required to be kept green by a public land authority.

(2) The Agency may maintain and beautify the areas required to be kept green by any private land authority or may require the private land authority to maintain and beautify the same.

(3) Where the Agency maintains or beautifies a public park, green belt or green area situated in a privately developed area, it may charge maintenance charges from the private land authority which was required to maintain the public park, green area or green belt, in such manner as may be prescribed.

21. Duty on persons to maintain green belts.- (1) The Agency may require the resident or owner of a property to maintain a green belt between his property and the public road.

(2) The Agency may recover a fixed charge in accordance with a schedule of charges from the owner of the property for maintaining a green belt which the owner has failed to maintain in accordance with its directions and in such manner as may be prescribed.

(3) If the Agency finds that a green belt has been raised by an owner or occupier of a property abutting to it or has been bricked over or concretized, it may require the said owner or the occupier to remove the construction and bring it to the level notified by it and if the person does not comply with the directions of the Agency within a reasonable time, the Agency may recover the cost of removal in accordance with a schedule of costs.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3), the Agency may remove a construction from a green belt or bring the level of a green belt to the prescribed level at its own cost.

22. Continuation of contracts.- (1) All contracts, permissions and leases granted by an empowering authority or its agency for the use of any public park, green belt or green area or the installation or placement of any billboard, sky sign or outdoor advertisement on public or private property prior to the commencement of the Act, shall be subject to, and governed by, the provisions of the Act.

(2) The Authority or its Agency shall not cancel any contract or withdraw any permission mentioned in sub-section (1) without providing an opportunity of hearing to the affected person.

23. Fund of Authority.- (1) There shall be a Fund to be known as the Punjab Horticulture Authority Fund and a separate fund of each Agency which shall vest in the Authority and shall be utilized by the Authority and its Agency to perform their functions and meet their expenses including the payment of salaries and other remuneration to their officers, employees, experts, advisers and consultants in such manner as may be prescribed by the regulations.

(2) The Fund shall consist of:

(a) loans and grants by the Government;

(b) all moneys received from the Federal Government, Government and their bodies, local government, or any national or international agency by way of grants, loans, advances or otherwise;

(d) all moneys received by the Authority and the Agency from the disposal of lands, buildings and other moveable and immovable properties;

(e) income from lease of property or from any investment made in pursuance of the Act; and

(f) all other sums received by the Authority and the Agency.

(3) The Authority may, in consultation with Finance Department of Government, borrow money or raise funds by issuing bonds or debentures or otherwise for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

(4) In case of deficit revenue of the Authority, Government shall provide from its own resources or from any other source such sum as may be necessary for efficient performance of functions of the Authority under the Act.

(5) The Authority and its Agency may open their accounts in any scheduled bank in such manner as may be prescribed and may, in case of excess amount, invest in Government securities, Government sponsored saving schemes in such manner as may be determined by the Authority and its Agency.

(6) The fee and other charges collected by the Agency shall be transmitted to the Fund at such ratio as may be determined by the Government.

24. Budget.- (1) The Director General, in case of the Authority, and the Managing Director, in case of the Agency, shall prepare, in such manner and at such time as may be determined by the Authority, their respective budgets in respect of each financial year.

(2) The Director General shall place the budget of the Authority, for approval, before the Authority and Managing Director shall place the Agency’s Budget, after its recommendation from the concerned Agency, before the Authority for approval:

Provided that if the budget of the Agency is not approved by the Authority within thirty days from its receipt, without any observation in writing by the Authority, it shall be deemed to have been approved by the Authority.

25. Accounts.- The Authority and the Agency shall maintain proper accounts and other relevant records and prepare annual statement of accounts in such form and manner as may be prescribed through the regulations.

26. Audit.- (1) In addition to the audit conducted by the Government, the Authority and Agency shall appoint separate firms of charted accountants placed in category ‘A’ by State Bank of Pakistan, for the annual audit of their accounts.

(2) The auditors, appointed under sub-section (1), shall submit their reports to the Authority and the Agency, as the case may be, and the Authority and the Agency shall take such actions and make such decisions as may be necessary in the light of such audit report.

27. Annual report.- (1) The Authority shall, within six months of the close of a financial year, submit to the Government an annual report.

(2) The annual report shall consist of:

(a) the statement of accounts and audit reports of the Authority and the Agency;

(b) a comprehensive statement of the works and activities of the Authority and the Agency during the preceding financial year and its proposed projects and schemes; and

(3) The Agency shall submit its report comprising of statements and other matters, as provided under clauses (a), (b) and (c) of sub-section (2), within three months of the close of a financial year, to the Authority.

(4) The Government shall, within three months of the receipt of the annual report from the Authority, cause it to be laid in Provincial Assembly of the Punjab.

28. Complaints of illegal or unauthorized use.- Any person may file a complaint in the prescribed format to the Agency regarding the illegal use of any public park or green belt or green area or any other violation of the Act and the Agency on receipt of such a complaint shall inquire into the same and shall take such action as may be necessary under the Act.

29. Complaint.- (1) Any person, body or entity aggrieved by the contravention of any policy or standards established by the Agency in relation to the provision of services by an Agency under the Act, may file a complaint in writing with the Authority within thirty days of such contravention by the Agency.

(2) The Authority shall, on receipt of a complaint, provide an opportunity of hearing to the complainant as well as to the concerned Agency before taking any action.

(3) The procedure for hearing complaints under this section shall be such as may be prescribed by the Authority.

30. Appointment of officers and employees.- The Authority and the Agency may appoint such officers, officials, advisors, experts, consultants and employees, as they consider necessary for the efficient performance of their functions on such terms and conditions as they may deem fit.

31. New schemes.- The Agency shall approve the scheme authorized by the Government, local government or any other authority or agency in accordance with the rules and regulations made or framed under the Act.

32. Offences, penalties and procedure.- (1) If a person contravenes any provision of the Act, he shall, if no other penalty is provided for such contravention, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to five hundred thousand rupees or with both.

(2) If a person continues to commit an act in violation of any order of the Authority, he shall, in addition to any other punishment under the Act, be liable to punishment of fine which may extend to five thousand rupees for each day the offence continues.

(3) If a person fails to obtain any permission under the Act, he shall be liable to punishment of fine which may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees.

(4) If a person prevents, restricts or interferes with the performance or discharge of any of his functions or obligations by any employee of the Authority or the Agency, he shall be liable to imprisonment which may extend to thirty days and fine which may extend to twenty thousand rupees or both.

(5) An offence punishable under the Act shall be cognizable on a complaint in writing of an officer authorized by the Authority or the Agency to the officer in charge of the concerned police station.

33. Ownership of public parks, green belts or green area.- The ownership of Heritage Park and any area notified as a public park, green belt or green area shall vest in the Authority.

34. Cognizance and trial of offences.- (1) An offence under the Act shall be cognizable and bailable.

(2) The offences under the Act shall be tried in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (V of 1898).

35. Bar of jurisdiction.- No order made in exercise of any power conferred by or under the Act shall be called in question in any Court except in the manner provided under the Act.

36. Delegation.- The Authority may delegate to the Vice Chairperson, the Director General, its committee, a Member, officer or employee, or its Agency or its Member, officer or employees any of its functions and powers subject to such conditions as it may think fit, expect the following:

(a) adaptation or amendment or repeal of regulations;

(b) approval of annual budget of the Authority;

(d) constituting a committee or filling a vacancy therein; and

(e) filling a vacancy in the Authority.

37. Indemnity.- No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Authority or the Agency and their Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Members, officers, employees, the Director General, and the Managing Director in respect of anything done or intended to be done in good faith under the Act.

38. Employees to be public servant.- All employees of the Authority and its Agencies shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (XLV of 1860).

39. Power to make rules.– The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

40. Power to frame regulations.- Subject to the Act and the rules made thereunder, the Authority may, by notification in the official Gazette, frame regulations for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

41. Repeal, omission and savings.- (1) The Parks and Horticulture Authority Act 2012 (XLVII of 2012), sub-sections (2) to (6) of section 10, sub-section (2) of section 28 and section 29 of the Lahore Development Authority Act, 1975 (XXX of 1975), and clause (xvi) of sub-section (2) of section 7, sub-section (2) of section 27 and section 28 of the Punjab Development of Cities Act, 1976 (XIX of 1976) are hereby repealed.

(2) Notwithstanding the repeal under sub-section (1), all schemes, projects, or works started under the repealed Act and provisions under sub-section (1) but not completed shall be deemed to have been started, continued to be executed under the provisions of the Act.

(3) Notwithstanding the repeal under sub-section (1), all rules made, regulations framed, appointments made, orders and notifications issued, land acquired, schemes prepared or executed, rates determined and penalties and fee imposed, or other charges levied, contracts entered into, bank accounts opened or fixed deposits made, suits instituted by or against the Authorities made under the repealed Act, or any other right accrued, or liability incurred or action taken or proceedings initiated under the repealed Acts, shall, so far as they are consistent with the provisions of the Act, continue in force and be deemed to have been made, imposed, levied, issued, entered into, opened, instituted, prepared, executed, accrued or incurred, taken and initiated by the Authority or its Agency, as the case may be, under the Act:

Provided that the existing employees of the Authorities given in sub-section (1) of section 8, shall continue to serve in their respective Authorities which are renamed as Agencies under sub-section (1) of section 8 and their terms and conditions shall not be altered to their disadvantage.

42. Act to prevail.- In the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the provisions of the Act and the provisions of any other law, the provisions of the Act shall, to the extent of such conflict or inconsistency, prevail.

43. Removal of difficulties.- If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any of the provisions of the Act, the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make such order, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Act, as it may deem necessary for the purposes of removing such difficulty.

[1]This Act was passed by the Punjab Assembly on 30 July 2025; assented to by the Governor of the Punjab on 05 August 2025; and was published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 05 August 2025; pages 659-670.