Legal representation in Pakistan for overseas families, investors, and estates.

A Power of Attorney (POA) lets someone you trust act for you in Pakistan: sign documents, deal with the Sub-Registrar or a bank, or instruct a lawyer in court. You can make one from abroad. The route open to you depends on your identity documents and the country you live in.

Three ways to make one

1. NADRA digital POA, if you hold a Pakistani ID. With a NICOP, CNIC, or Pakistan Origin Card you can apply online through the NADRA portal. You create an account, upload your documents and those of your attorney and two witnesses, give fingerprints, pay by card, and attend a short video interview with a consular officer. Choose the correct Pakistani mission for your country, because a wrong choice can lead to rejection. The service runs through participating missions, so check that it is available for your country.
2. In person at a Pakistani embassy or consulate. The traditional route is still available. You sign before the consular officer, who attests the document.
3. Local notary plus Apostille. Pakistan has been a party to the Apostille Convention since 9 March 2023. If your country is also a party, a POA signed before a notary where you live and then apostilled by that country’s authority can be presented in Pakistan without further attestation by Pakistani missions or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We confirm beforehand that the office where you will use it (a Sub-Registrar, bank, or court) will accept it.

Keep it safe

• Make it specific. A POA for a named property or a named task is much safer than a general POA that covers everything you own.
• Choose and check your attorney. A POA gives that person real authority over your property. Confirm their identity and address, and keep a copy of their CNIC.
• Never sign blank or incomplete papers. Read the final text, and get a translation if you need one.
• Set a purpose and an end point. When the task is done, cancel the POA formally and tell the offices that have seen it. Telling the attorney alone is not enough.
• Have the draft checked first. Wording, stamp duty, and registration requirements depend on what the POA is for and where it will be used. A wrong draft can be refused at the Sub-Registrar’s office and cost you weeks.

Ask us about your Power of Attorney

General information only, not legal advice. Updated October 2026.

Fraud against overseas buyers often follows a familiar pattern: a seller who is not the real owner, a plot sold to more than one buyer, or a “file” in a housing scheme that was never approved. Run these checks before any payment.

1. Ask for the original title documents, not photos. See the registered sale deed or transfer papers and compare the seller’s name with their CNIC.
2. Check the official record. Have a lawyer obtain certified copies from the Sub-Registrar and the revenue or development authority office, and confirm that the seller is the owner on record.
3. Trace the chain of ownership. Every transfer from the original owner to the seller should be documented and consistent. A gap is a warning sign.
4. Check inherited property carefully. If the seller inherited it, confirm that all legal heirs are recorded and that each heir with a share has agreed to the sale.
5. Look for claims against the property. These include a mortgage or bank lien, a pending court case, a tenant or occupier, and unpaid dues or government notices.
6. For a plot or flat in a housing scheme, check the approvals. The scheme and its layout plan should be approved by the relevant authority, and the plot should be allocated to the seller. An allotment letter or “file” is not always the same as ownership.
7. Confirm who is in possession. Have someone you trust visit the property, take dated photos, and speak to the neighbours.
8. Pay safely. Use banking channels, pay into the seller’s own account against a signed agreement, and release money in stages tied to documents. Avoid cash and third-party accounts, and keep every receipt.

Have the sale agreement reviewed before you pay anything. After payment, make sure the sale deed is registered and the transfer is recorded in your name. Be wary of anyone who pressures you to pay quickly.

Have us check a property before you pay

General information only, not legal advice. Updated October 2026.

Unlawful occupation of land or a house (qabza) is common when the owner lives far away. Acting early matters, because the fastest remedy has a short deadline.

The six-month window

Under Section 9 of the Specific Relief Act, 1877, a person who has been dispossessed of immovable property without their consent, and not through due process of law, can sue to recover possession within six months of the dispossession. The court looks at your earlier possession and how you were removed. The other side cannot defeat the suit simply by claiming to be the owner.

After six months you still have a remedy: a regular suit to establish title and recover possession. It takes longer, and the court will go into who owns the property. Delay can hurt you, so do not wait.

What to do first

• Write down the dates. Note when the occupation began and when you first learned of it. The six months run from the dispossession, so do not wait until you are certain.
• Gather your papers. Title documents, any Power of Attorney, tax and utility receipts, and any messages with the occupier or the people who told you.
• Record the situation. Ask someone you trust to take dated photos and video and to note the names of the people involved.
• Do not retake it by force. It can expose you to criminal liability and weaken your case.
• Sign nothing and accept nothing. Do not sign a “settlement” or take money until you have advice.
• Speak to a lawyer straight away. The right route (a civil suit, an injunction, or a criminal complaint) depends on your facts.

Talk to us about an occupied property

General information only, not legal advice. Updated October 2026.