NAP | National Archives Act

National Archives Act 1993

The Act was passed by National Assembly on 8th February, 1993 and Senate on 2nd March, 1993. It received the assent of the President of Pakistan on 29th March, 1993. The main objectives of the Act are to allow totally access to the historical records preserved in National Archives of Pakistan and to provide for an access period after which the records become accessible. The Act provides for 20 years as the access period from the date of creation of the records.

Functions defined in the National Archives Act, 1993

The National Archives shall be managed and controlled by the Director General who shall be appointed by the Federal Government and for the purpose of such management and control it shall be the duty of the Director General

To ensure the conservation and, where necessary, the restoration, of all public records and other archival material entrusted to his care
To make use of all types of Reprographic techniques for reproduction of them where necessary
To describe and arrange all public records and other archival material acquired by the National Archives
To provide facilities for research and reference
Subject to the terms and conditions on which they are acquired, to reproduce or publish any public records and other archival material
To examine any records in the custody of a public office and to advise such office as to the care and custody of such records
To accept and preserve records which are transferred to the National Archives
At the request of any administrative head of a public office, to return to that office for such period as may be agreed upon between the Director General and the administrative head concerned, the public records transferred from that office to the National Archives
To acquire by purchase in accordance with the delegated financial authority, donation, request or otherwise any document, book or other material which is, or is likely to be, of enduring national or historical value
To perform such other functions as are necessary for the purpose of the said management and control and as may be assigned to him by the Federal Government or the Board