Pakistan property terms, explained.
Every term you will meet buying property in Pakistan, from files and marla to the DC rate, FBR value, filer status, NOC and the Roshan Digital Account, each in one plain line. No jargon, no filler.
Buying & off-plan
Off-plan property
A plot or unit bought before or during development, on an instalment plan. In Pakistan this is the file market, cheaper entry with more delivery risk.
File
A booking document for a plot or unit before it is developed or transferred. Files are traded like a security in DHA and Bahria, often at a premium.
Payment plan
The instalment schedule on a file or off-plan unit, a down payment plus quarterly instalments plus a balance on possession or ballot.
Balloting
The draw that assigns a specific plot number to a file holder once a new phase is developed.
Possession
When the developer hands over a developed plot or a built unit, the Pakistan equivalent of handover.
Ready property
A completed, built and transferable property you can use or rent from day one, bought from a developer or a current owner.
Ownership & legal
Freehold
Full ownership transferred through the sub-registrar or society office. Most urban residential is freehold-style, though some Karachi land is 99-year leasehold from the city.
Allotment / transfer letter
DHA and some authorities issue allotment and transfer letters instead of a registered deed. Ownership moves by transferring the letter at the society office.
NOC (No Objection Certificate)
The development authority's approval, CDA, LDA, RDA or DHA, confirming a society or plot is legal and dues are clear. The first thing to verify on any file.
DHA / Bahria transfer
The society transfer process for DHA and Bahria, done at the transfer office with a transfer fee, not through the sub-registrar.
Registry & mutation
Registration at the sub-registrar and mutation, or inteqal, in the Board of Revenue records. How ownership is recorded outside society schemes.
Escrow
A regulated account that holds buyer money against milestones. Flag: Pakistan has no mandatory statutory escrow for off-plan or files. Buyers rely on developer reputation and authority NOCs instead.
Costs & finance
Transfer taxes
The stack of taxes on a purchase: stamp duty, CVT, town registration and FBR withholding. There is no single 4% transfer fee like Dubai.
DC rate
The Deputy Commissioner rate, the provincial official valuation used to assess stamp duty. Usually well below market price.
FBR notified value
The federal official valuation used for federal taxes, also below market. Taxes are charged on the DC and FBR values, not on what you actually pay.
Filer vs non-filer
Whether you are on the FBR active taxpayer list. Non-filers pay much higher withholding under sections 236K and 236C. Becoming a filer before buying is the cheapest saving.
CVT (Capital Value Tax)
A provincial or ICT tax on property value, roughly 2%. Rules change with each Finance Act, verify the current position.
Gross vs net yield
Gross yield is annual rent over price. Net yield takes off maintenance and costs. Pakistan gross residential yields run roughly 3 to 5%.
Price per sqft (psf)
Price divided by covered area, the standard way to compare built units. Plots are quoted per marla or kanal instead.
Marla and kanal
The local land units. 1 kanal = 20 marla. 1 marla is roughly 225 to 272 sqft depending on city. Plots are quoted as 5 marla, 10 marla or 1 kanal.
Overseas & remittance
Roshan Digital Account (RDA)
The State Bank channel that lets overseas Pakistanis open an account remotely, move funds in legally and invest, including in property, with repatriable money.
Roshan Apna Ghar
The property arm of the RDA, for overseas Pakistanis to buy or finance a home in Pakistan through documented, repatriable channels.
Naya Pakistan Certificates
RDA investment certificates in PKR or foreign currency, an alternative to property for overseas savings.
Repatriation
Moving proceeds back out of Pakistan. Funds brought in through an RDA are repatriable through the same channel. There is no property-linked residency benefit for foreigners.
Market & data
Three valuations
Three prices exist for the same property: the DC rate, the FBR notified value and the actual market price. Taxes use the first two, you pay the third.
Index data
Private portals like Zameen publish asking-price indices. Pakistan has no central open transaction registry, so these plus FBR tables are the main data sources.
CPEC
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the infrastructure programme driving speculative land markets such as Gwadar.
Know the terms. Now get a shortlist with the math done.
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