Someone threatening you? Save the proof.

Myth or fact?

What people often think.

• Myth: Threats are just words. The law only acts after he does something.
• Fact: Threatening injury to your person, reputation or property to alarm you is criminal intimidation (PPC s.503).

The rule in the law.

Section 503, Pakistan Penal Code.

“Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do … commits criminal intimidation.”

Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 · Section 503, Criminal intimidation

How serious?

Sections 506 and 507.

• Any threatUp to 2 years, or fine, or both.
• Kill or maimThreat of death, grievous hurt, burning property or imputing unchastity to a woman: up to 7 years.
• AnonymousName or address hidden: up to 2 more years on top.

Quick quiz. Drop the case.

Guess first, then swipe for the answer.

• A. Only a civil dispute
• B. Criminal intimidation
• C. Nothing until he acts

Answer: B. The law's own example.

Illustration to s.503.

• The illustrationA threatens to burn B's house to make B drop a civil suit. A is guilty of criminal intimidation.
• Higher bracketA threat to destroy property by fire falls in the 7-year part of s.506.

Why proof decides it.

Two Sindh High Court judgments.

• 2018 YLRN 214No call data record of the threatening calls was collected. The accused was acquitted.
• 2023 PCrLJ 1787No date, time, place or witness for the threats. The complaint failed.

Save the proof.

Start today.

• Messages and callsScreenshots, call logs, voice notes.
• When and whereWrite down the date, time, place and exact words.
• WitnessesWho heard it? Note their names.

If he acts.

Two more rules.

• 2023 SCMR 734Once a threat turns into an act, the act is the offence, not s.506 (Supreme Court).
• s.504 PPCInsulting someone to provoke a breach of the peace: up to 2 years.

Being threatened?

Ask FAI in your own words. It answers with the exact section and the judgments behind it.

• Someone keeps sending threatening messages to my phone. What can I do?
• Draft a complaint to the police about threats to kill.

Example questions

What this does not mean

• The higher bracket of up to 7 years under s.506 is only for threats to kill, cause grievous hurt, burn property or impute unchastity to a woman. Other threats carry up to 2 years, or fine, or both.
• Once a threat turns into an act, the act is the offence, not s.506 (2023 SCMR 734).
• A complaint is not enough on its own. Cases have failed where no call data record was collected, or no date, time, place or witness was given.

Questions people ask

Sources

• Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 · Section 503
  Criminal intimidation Pakistan Code