Power of Attorney in Pakistan (2025 Guide): Fees, Process, Mukhtar Nama & Property Sale

Written by: Icons Team
Last updated: December 3, 2025
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A Power of Attorney (POA), or Mukhtar Nama, is a legal document that lets someone act for you. People use it to sell property, manage banking, handle court cases, or represent them when they cannot appear in person.

This guide explains everything in simple words. You will learn how POA works, how to register it, how much it costs, and how overseas Pakistanis can make it online or at a Pakistani embassy.

Let’s start.

What Is Power of Attorney in Pakistan?

A Power of Attorney is a written document. It gives another person the authority to act on your behalf. In legal terms:

Principal / Executant / Grantor = the person giving authority
Attorney / Agent / Mukhtar = the person receiving authority

People use POA in property matters, banking, court cases, and business. It helps when you are abroad, busy, elderly, or unable to appear in an office.

✔ Simple Example

You live in Dubai. Your father wants to sell your plot in Islamabad. You cannot travel. You give him a Special POA to sell one specific plot. He can now appear in the society office, sign papers, and complete the sale.

✔ Scope of a POA

Every POA includes:

What the attorney can do
Limitations
Validity period
Witness details
Property details (if any)

✔ Revocation

You can cancel a POA anytime. You must visit the registrar’s office to submit a cancellation deed.

See Also: Here are the ICONS HowTo guides, like How to become a tax filer in Pakistan, hassle-free and fast.

What Is Mukhtar Nama? (Meaning, Types & Use in Property)

In Pakistan, people often refer to POA as Mukhtar Nama. It simply means authorising someone to act on your behalf.

There are two common forms:

Type	Urdu Name	Meaning	Used For
General POA	Mukhtar-e-Aam	Broad powers	All property or legal matters
Special POA	Mukhtar-e-Khas	Limited power	Selling one plot, one house, one action

Example

“Mukhtar Nama Khas” allows your brother to sell only your 5-Marla plot in Lahore. He cannot sell another plot unless you give a new POA.

Types of Power of Attorney in Pakistan (GPA, SPA, Sub-POA)

Type of POA	Urdu Meaning	Scope	Best For
General POA (GPA)	Mukhtar-e-Aam	Wide powers	Overseas dealings, elderly parents, business
Special POA (SPA)	Mukhtar-e-Khas	One action	Selling one property
Legal POA	Wakalat Nama	Court cases	Appointing a lawyer
Sub-POA (Badlee Nama)	Badlee Nama	Attorney reassigns authority	When the original attorney cannot appear

Power of Attorney for Property Sale in Pakistan

Selling property through a POA is legal in Pakistan. However, societies, courts, and DC offices accept only one thing:

✔ The POA must be registered.

When Registered POA Is Required

Selling any plot or house
Transferring property
Mutation (Intiqal)
Signing registry
Giving possession

When an Unregistered POA Is Accepted

Utility tasks
Bank operations (rare)
General administrative matters

✔ Property Sale Example

You live in Saudi Arabia. You give your cousin a POA through the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh. He arrives in Pakistan, submits the POA in the housing society, and completes the sale after verification.

✔ Risks & Safeguards

Use these safety steps:

Appoint only a trusted person
Use a Special POA instead of a General POA
Add plot number, registry details, map, and block name
Never sign a blank POA
Cancel POA after the transaction

Power of Attorney Fees, Stamp Duty & Registration Charges (Province-Wise)

Province	Stamp Duty (POA for Sale of Property)	Stamp Duty (Family / Non-sale)	Registration Fee	CVT	Notes
Punjab	1% of property value	Rs 1,000–2,000	1%	Nil	Free/nominal for blood relatives
Sindh	2%	Rs 500–1,000	Fixed	Varies	Mandatory for property sale POA
ICT (Islamabad)	1%	Rs 1,000–2,000	1%	Nil	Rigorous verification
KPK	Variable (0.5–2%)	Rs 1,000–2,000	Variable	Nil	Biometric mandatory
Balochistan	2%	Rs 500–1,500	Low fixed fee	Nil	Limited e-system

Selling Property Through POA

The Power of Attorney (aka Mukhtar Nama) for property gives legal authority to someone to sell a property. This includes selling, renting, or handling legal matters on behalf of the owner.

Who Can Apply for a POA?

Any adult Pakistani citizen can issue a POA, whether living inside Pakistan or abroad.

This includes:

Local Pakistanis
Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP holders)
Companies
Trusts

Companies must pass a Board Resolution before nominating an attorney.

Read also: A step-by-step guide on the Property Transfer procedure in Pakistan that has all you need to know. It may be a gift transfer or a transfer to legal heirs (Inheritance).

How to Apply

The question is how an overseas Pakistani gets ready power of attorney.

Overseas Pakistanis can have two (2) options:

In-person

You apply for a power of attorney by accompanying two witnesses to a consulate or an embassy.

Nadra Digital POA

The GOP makes it easier for overseas Pakistanis to grant a POA for property matters online. This digital POA is acceptable in Pakistani Housing Projects/Housing Societies or courts. You can apply through the NADRA online portal. To apply, register yourself on their official website.

The grantor must visit the Pakistani embassy for attestation.

Requirements for Digital POA

NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) of the grantor
Valid CNIC (Computerised National Identity Card)
Copies of the grantor’s passport
Email address
Postal address
The grantor’s bio-metrics
Biometrics of two witnesses
Scanned thumb impressions of the grantor and witnesses

If you’re in Pakistan, how do you apply for it?

You can prepare it by consulting any advocate or visiting any stamp vendor.

Next, visit the Sub-Registrar Revenue office to register this POA, accompanied by the person you appoint as your attorney and two witnesses.

How much does it cost you?

The registration fee for a Power of Attorney depends on certain factors:

There is no fee if the agent is a blood relative of the grantor.
If not, the fee is 1% of the property’s value.
Additionally, a 2% tax applies to the registration fee.

Legal Terms

Here are some legal terms related to the power of attorney that you should know:

Principal/Donor/Grantor

The person authorising the other to act out is the principal, grantor, or donor (of the power).

Simply put, someone grants limited or broad legal authority to another person to make decisions or act on his behalf.

Agent/Attorney-in-Fact

A person who has the power to act out for another person (the principal) according to a specific power of attorney.

In other words, the one authorised to act is the agent, attorney, or, in some jurisdictions, the attorney-in-fact.

As stated above, an agent or Attorney-in-fact possesses limited or broad legal authority to make decisions regarding the principal’s possessions, finances, and other legal matters.

Types of POA in Pakistan

There are three main types of POA, each with specific features and limitations. The POA for property focuses only on legal matters related to property dealings.

General POA (Mukhtar Nama)
Special POA (Mukhtar Nama Khas)
Legal POA (Vakalat Nama)

General Power of Attorney (GPA)

A General Power of Attorney (aka Mukhtar Nama Aam) gives full authority to the agent on behalf of the principal. This allows the agent to handle any legal matters or tasks for the principal in their absence.

The principal can set specific terms and conditions for the General Power of Attorney, especially for property matters, and can set a duration Mukhtar Nama Aam for its validity.

Special POA

A Special Power of Attorney (aka Mukhtar Nama Khas) gives the agent limited authority. Unlike general legal authority, this special POA focuses on one specified action.

Legal POA

Legal Power of Attorney (aka Wakalat Nama) allows the grantor to appoint a lawyer. So, a lawyer represents them in a specific case. It is a common type of Power of Attorney.

With that said, a POA pertains to any immovable property, sale, or mortgage. You must register it under section 17 of the Registration Act of 1908.

Read Also: Discover the Best Places to Live. Explore the ICONS Area Guides to find your perfect community. Want to know the current steel rates and make informed decisions? Click here for the most up-to-date Current Steel Prices in Pakistan.

Property Registration through POA

To register a Power of Attorney in Pakistan, you’ll need:

A statement from the grantor on stamp paper worth 500 to 5,000 PKR
Two witnesses with copies of their CNICs
A copy of the property registry

Pro tip: There is no registration fee if the agent is a blood relative of the grantor.

Required Documents

Below are the required documents for a Power of Attorney for property in Pakistan:

Original application form for the Power of Attorney
An attested application form by a notary public or judge
Original CNICs of both the grantor and the agent
Two passport-size photos of each individual
Paid processing fee slip

Cancellation of POA

To cancel the POA, the principal can apply to revoke the POA at any time, General or Special.

Moreover, if an Attorney (aka principal) dies, the POA cancels automatically.

A principal can apply to the Registrar concerned to cancel the POA.

The good news is that Pakistan’s government has appointed notaries to the public to witness the attestation and verification of critical legal documents to prevent fraud.

POA Act 1882

Here is the Power of Attorney Act 1882:

“The donee [Executant] of a power-of-attorney may, if they think fit, execute or do any assurance, instrument or thing in and with his name and signature, and his seal, where sealing is required, by the authority of the donor of the power; and every assurance, instrument, and thing so executed and done, shall be as effectual in law as if it had been executed or done by the donee of the power in the name, and with the signature and seal, of the donor thereof.”

Conclusion

Conclusion

Power of Attorney makes property transactions easy for Pakistanis living abroad or unable to appear in person. Use a Special POA for property sales, register it properly, and always choose a trusted person. Follow the verification steps to avoid fraud, and cancel the POA once the job is done.

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