Asia
Pakistan.
The Pakistan Penal Code reviewed here contains no general offense of failing to help a stranger in danger. Federal and provincial documents reviewed show a compulsory zakat system for assistance to the needy, an income tax credit for donations, and a provincial emergency service (Rescue 1122 in Punjab) that is backed by a statute and enlists volunteers.
Is there a legal duty to help a stranger?
No general duty foundNo provision imposing a general duty to rescue or aid a stranger was found in the Pakistan Penal Code text reviewed. Sections 32, 33 and 43 treat an omission as an offense only where it is illegal, meaning prohibited by law or a ground for civil action, and the omission-to-assist provisions found (for example section 187) concern assisting a public servant. The Punjab Emergency Service Act 2006, section 3, says the Act does not absolve any other person from responsibility to take necessary measures to save lives in an emergency, but it does not itself create a penalty for bystanders.
Are people who help protected?
LimitedTwo narrow protections were found. Penal Code section 92 provides that an act done in good faith for a person's benefit without consent is not an offense by reason of harm caused, where consent is impossible, subject to provisos (it does not extend to intentionally causing death, among others). Section 19 of the Punjab Emergency Service Act 2006 shields employees and registered or engaged volunteers of the Service from personal legal action for acts or omissions in good faith in assisting the Service, and no general bystander statute was found.
How the government promotes giving and service
Ways to give and volunteer
Pakistan has a large charity sector, and many aid groups are run by religious bodies, which are not listed here. Groups must follow registration and foreign funding rules, so confirm a group's legal status first.
Check a charity before you give
A nonprofit that certifies nonprofits against public standards and publishes research; there is no single official public charity search (the site may block automated tools).
Give your time
Give money, blood or a donation
In an emergency or a crisis
Before you act
- Fake flood and Ramadan appeals are common, so give only to groups you can verify and avoid sending money to personal mobile wallets. Foreign nonprofits and aid workers need government registration and permission, so visitors should not start aid work on their own. Check with the host group's registration before volunteering, and follow local travel advice.
This list does not cover local religious charities or district-level groups. Checked 2026-10-28. Listing an organization is not an endorsement, and none of them has endorsed this site. Some official sites block automatic checks, so a link may need a second try.
One thing worth knowing
The Punjab Emergency Service Act 2006 provides a legal category of "volunteer" (a person registered by the Service or engaged by a rescuer at the scene to assist it) and gives volunteers a good-faith liability shield and indemnity.
What this does not mean
Pakistan Code (pakistancode.gov.pk) could not be fetched in this research, so the Penal Code text comes from a provincial police copy and WIPO Lex that may not reflect later amendments. Rescue 1122 is a Punjab provincial service, and other provinces run their own emergency services that were not reviewed. This is not legal advice. This is a plain-language summary of public sources, not legal advice, and it does not rank countries. No government named here has endorsed this site. Not reviewed by a lawyer. Statutes were read in public sources and may have changed. Last checked October 26, 2026.