1. Overview of Pakistani Land Units
Real estate transactions, property registry documents (Fard Malkiyat), and architectural drawings in Pakistan frequently blend British imperial units (Square Feet, Square Yards, Acres) with traditional South Asian revenue units (Karam, Sarsahi, Marla, Kanal, Murabba).
Understanding these units is crucial for property buyers, overseas Pakistanis, civil engineers, and legal practitioners to avoid major financial discrepancies during land transfers and registry verifications.
2. The 225 vs 272.25 Sq Ft Marla Conflict
The most common and costly mistake in Pakistani property transactions occurs due to dual standards for Marla:
- LDA / DHA Urban Standard:
1 Marla = 225 Sq Ft(Used in DHA Lahore, Bahria Town, LDA City, Gulberg, Rawalpindi). - Patwari / Revenue Standard:
1 Marla = 272.25 Sq Ft(Mandated by Punjab & KPK Board of Revenue based on 1 Karam = 5.5 ft). - CDA Islamabad Standard:
1 Marla = 250 Sq Ft(Applied in specific older Islamabad and Rawalpindi municipal sectors).
3. Standard Hierarchy Table (Sarsahi to Murabba)
| Unit | Urban DHA/LDA Standard | Patwari Revenue Standard | Square Meters (m²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sarsahi | 25 Sq Ft | 30.25 Sq Ft | 2.81 m² |
| 1 Marla | 225 Sq Ft | 272.25 Sq Ft | 20.90 / 25.29 m² |
| 1 Kanal (20 Marla) | 4,500 Sq Ft (500 Sq Yd) | 5,445 Sq Ft (605 Sq Yd) | 418.06 / 505.85 m² |
| 1 Acre / Killa (8 Kanal) | 36,000 Sq Ft | 43,560 Sq Ft | 4,046.86 m² |
| 1 Murabba (25 Acres) | 900,000 Sq Ft | 1,089,000 Sq Ft | 101,171 m² |
4. District-Specific Land Variations
While urban housing schemes have unified around 225 sq ft, provincial Patwar records vary across provinces:
- Punjab (Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan): 1 Marla = 9 Sarsahi = 272.25 sq ft in revenue records; 225 sq ft in approved private housing societies.
- Sindh (Karachi, Hyderabad): Land is measured in Square Yards (Gazz) and Acres. 120 Sq Yd (~5.33 Marla) and 240 Sq Yd (~10.66 Marla) are standard plot sizes.
- KPK (Peshawar, Abbottabad, Mardan): Patwari standard 272.25 sq ft applies in rural tehsils; Galiyat region often uses local Jareeb denominations.
5. Crucial Patwari & Fard Terminology
- Fard (فرد): Official property ownership record certificate issued by the Land Record Authority (Arazi Record Center).
- Khasra (خسرہ): Specific parcel/plot number allocated to a piece of land in village settlement maps (Shajra).
- Khatoni (کھتونی): Holding number indicating tenant or cultivator details under a Khewat.
- Khewat (کھیوٹ): Account number representing one or multiple joint landowners in the revenue mauza.
- Intiqal (انتقال): Mutation registration officially transferring legal land title from seller to buyer.