The documents you need to buy property in Pakistan

Buying is mostly paperwork, and the order matters — several of these are useless if you get them in the wrong sequence.

Before you pay anything

1. Your CNIC — and your spouse's if the property is going in joint names.
2. Proof of funds — a bank statement, or a sanction letter if you are financing.
3. The seller's title documents — the registry or allotment letter, in the seller's name.

The two checks people skip

A fresh Fard (record of rights). Ask for one dated within the last thirty days, not the copy the seller has had in a drawer since 2019. It is the document that shows whether anything has been charged against the property since.

A No Demand Certificate from the society or development authority. This is what tells you there are no outstanding dues. An unpaid maintenance bill becomes yours the day the transfer completes.

At transfer

• The sale agreement, stamped
• The transfer letter or sale deed
• Tax challans for CVT and stamp duty
• Photographs and biometric verification, depending on the authority

The one that is easy to forget

If the seller is not present in person, look at the power of attorney carefully: who granted it, when, whether it is registered, and whether it specifically covers sale. A general attorney that does not mention selling is not enough, and this is the single most common reason a transfer stalls at the counter.