18

ACT IV OF 2016 ACT IV OF 2016 BALOCHISTAN WITNESS PROTECTION ACT, 2016 An Act to provide for protection of witnesses to enable them to give evidence in criminal proceedings in the Province of Balochistan [Gazette of Balochistan Extraordinary, 5th April, 2016] No. PAB/Legis:V(25)/2016, dated 5.4.2016.---The Balochistan Witness Protection Bill, 2015 (Bill No 25 of 2015) having been passed by the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan on 26th March 2016 and assented by the Governor, Balochistan on 29th March 2016 is hereby published as an Act of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly. Preamble.---WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for protection of witnesses to enable them to give evidence in criminal proceedings in the Province of Balochistan and for matters ancillary thereto; It is hereby enacted as follows: 18. Termination of protection and assistance.---(1) The protection and assistance provided under the Program (a) shall be terminated by Chief Witness Protection Officer if the participant or, as the case may be, protected person requests in writing that it be terminated; and (b) may be terminated in writing by Chief Witness Protection Officer if (i) the witness deliberately breaches a requirement or undertaking relating to the Program; (ii) the witness s conduct or threatened conduct is, in the opinion of the Chief Witness Protection Officer, likely to threaten the security or compromise the integrity of the Program; or (iii) the circumstances that gave rise to the need for protection and assistance for the witness have ceased to exist, and the Chief Witness Protection Officer is of the opinion that, in all the circumstances of the case, the protection and assistance should be terminated. (iv) the safety of the person is no longer threatened; (v) satisfactory alternative arrangements have been made for the protection of the person; (vi) the witness, in making application for placement under protection, willfully furnished false or misleading information or particulars or made a statement which is false or misleading in any material respect, or willfully failed to disclose any information or particulars material to his or her application; (vii) the behavior of the person has endangered or may endanger the safety of any protected person; (viii) the evidence of a witness is no longer required in the concerned proceeding which might be established upon receipt of a written notice given by the interested functionary or that such proceedings have been concluded by written notice. (2) A decision of the Unit to terminate protection and assistance under the Program shall take effect (a) when the Unit notifies the witness of the decision; and (b) if the witness s location is not known and the Chief Witness Protection Officer has taken steps to notify the witness, at the end of a period of twenty eight days after those steps were taken.