Demarcation Application (Pakistan)

A Demarcation Application in Pakistan records the details required for the process it supports, providing a clear written account that can be relied on.

The Land Revenue Act 1967 (West Pakistan Land Revenue Act 1967, Act XVII of 1967) is the primary statute governing land revenue administration in the three major provinces — Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Balochistan has its own equivalent land revenue laws. The Land Revenue Act 1967 establishes the revenue hierarchy — from the Revenue Commissioner at the divisional level, through the Collector (Deputy Commissioner) at the district level, to the Tehsildar and Assistant Collector at the tehsil level, and the Field Patwari at the village/mauza level — and confers on revenue officers the power to survey, demarcate, and record land boundaries.

Section 135 of the Land Revenue Act 1967 confers on the Collector and Tehsildar the power to demarcate the boundaries of a holding and to resolve boundary disputes between adjacent landowners. The revenue surveyor — known as the 'amin' or 'qanungo' depending on the province — conducts the physical demarcation by reference to the Shajra Nasb (the cadastral map or field map) maintained at the patwari khana (patwari office), the khasra girdawari (crop inspection register), and the jamabandi (record of rights). The demarcation process involves measurement of the plot using the revenue measurement chain (karam) or modern GPS equipment, placement of boundary pillars (nishandehi) at the corners and turning points of the plot, and preparation of a demarcation report (aks shajra or tatimma shajra).

The Colonisation of Government Lands Act 1912, the Punjab Land Records Authority Act 2017, and the Sindh Land Administration and Revenue Authority (SLARA) Act 2021 are relevant to demarcation in specific contexts — government-allotted agricultural land (canal colonies), urban development schemes, and recently regularised katchi abadis (informal settlements). The Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA), established under the Punjab Land Records Authority Act 2017, is modernising the land records system in Punjab through the Arazi Record Centre (ARC) network, digitising jamabandi and shajra records, and enabling online access to land records through the PLRA web portal. Demarcation applications in Punjab can now be filed online through the PLRA portal and tracked digitally.

Urban demarcation — for residential plots in housing schemes approved by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Capital Development Authority (CDA), or provincial development authorities — involves a different process from rural demarcation. Urban plot boundaries are demarcated by the development authority's survey department rather than the revenue patwari, using layout plans (latha) approved by the authority and coordinates referenced to the approved scheme's survey datum.

Property disputes involving boundary encroachments — where a neighbour has constructed a wall, fence, or building crossing the boundary into the applicant's land — are among the most common reasons for demarcation applications in Pakistan. Once the demarcation report establishes the official boundary, the applicant can use it as evidence in a civil suit for removal of encroachment under Section 9 of the Specific Relief Act 1877, or as the basis for a complaint to the local government under the relevant municipality laws.

The Colonisation of Government Lands Act 1912 governs the demarcation and allotment of government-owned agricultural land in Pakistan's canal colonies — including the major canal-irrigated areas of Punjab (Lyallpur/Faisalabad, Montgomery/Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur) and Sindh. Applications for demarcation under the Colonisation Act 1912 are addressed to the Colonisation Officer or Revenue Officer having jurisdiction over the relevant canal colony area.

The Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA), established under the Punjab Land Records Authority Act 2017, operates the Arazi Record Centers (ARCs) at tehsil level across Punjab, providing computerised land records and satellite imagery-based demarcation services. The PLRA's Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping integrates with NADRA's National Spatial Data Infrastructure to enable digital verification of land boundaries with GPS coordinates, reducing reliance on physical chain-and-compass surveys. Similar digital land record systems are being implemented in Sindh under the Sindh Land Records Authority and in KPK under the KPK Revenue Authority.

The Settlement Department of each province conducts periodic General Revenue Settlements during which all land boundaries are resurveyed and new Khasra Girdawari records are prepared. Disputes about boundaries that arise between settlement periods are resolved by the Tehsildar through a formal demarcation hearing, supported by the Patwari's site inspection and the historical record in the Register Haqdaran Zamin.

A Demarcation Application in Pakistan is required in a broad range of situations where a landowner needs official confirmation and physical marking of their land's boundaries on the ground by revenue authorities.

A Demarcation Application is needed when a property owner has purchased agricultural land and needs to confirm the physical boundaries of the purchased plot on the ground — particularly where the land is part of a larger holding and the seller has transferred a specific khasra number or portion thereof. The buyer needs the official demarcation to know exactly where their land begins and ends, and to confirm the seller has not retained any portion included in the sale.

A Demarcation Application is required when co-owners of agricultural or residential land proceed with a partition (taqseem) of the jointly owned property — either by mutual agreement (registered at the Sub-Registrar under the Registration Act 1908) or by a partition decree from a civil court under the Partition Act 1893. After the legal partition, each co-owner needs an official demarcation to have the boundaries of their new individual holding marked on the ground and recorded in the revised jamabandi.

A Demarcation Application is needed when a neighbouring landowner has encroached upon the applicant's land by constructing a wall, fence, agricultural channel (watercourse), or building beyond the true boundary. The demarcation by the revenue patwari establishes the official boundary, provides evidence for a civil suit for removal of encroachment, and may result in the Tehsildar ordering the removal of the encroachment under Section 135 of the Land Revenue Act 1967.

A Demarcation Application is required when a developer or builder is constructing a housing scheme, commercial plaza, or industrial facility on purchased agricultural land and needs official conversion and demarcation of the plot boundaries before applying for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the relevant development authority (LDA, KDA, RDA, CDA) and beginning construction.

A Demarcation Application is needed when a landowner disputes the area or boundaries of their plot as reflected in the official revenue records — jamabandi, shajra, or khasra girdawari — and wishes to have an official measurement conducted to correct any recording errors. Revenue record errors are common in Pakistan, particularly for land subdivided or inherited multiple times over generations without formal mutation at each stage.

A Demarcation Application is required when a landowner intends to mortgage their agricultural land to a bank as collateral for an agricultural loan under the Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP, now Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited — ZTBL) or a commercial bank's agri-finance programme. The bank requires official demarcation to confirm the area and boundaries of the collateral before accepting the mortgage.

A Demarcation Application is required when a property developer who has purchased a large landholding for subdivision into a housing scheme registered with the relevant provincial development authority (LDA, PHATA, or DHA) needs the Revenue Department to formally demarcate the outer boundaries of the total landholding as the basis for the subdivision plan and the housing scheme layout.

A Demarcation Application is required when a farmer who cultivates multiple Khasra numbers in the same or adjacent revenue estates needs the Patwari to physically demarcate the boundaries between the Khasra numbers to prevent encroachment by neighbouring landowners. The Demarcation Application triggers the Patwari's field inspection, which produces a measurement report (Tatima) confirming the actual boundaries and area of each Khasra number.

A valid Demarcation Application in Pakistan under the Land Revenue Act 1967 and provincial revenue rules must contain the following essential elements to be accepted by the Tehsildar, Assistant Collector, or Revenue Officer and to result in an official demarcation proceeding.

Addressing the Correct Authority: The application must be addressed to the Tehsildar or Assistant Collector of the Tehsil in which the land is located — for example, 'The Tehsildar, Tehsil Sheikhupura, District Sheikhupura, Punjab' or 'The Assistant Collector Grade-I, Taluka Sukkur, District Sukkur, Sindh.' Addressing the wrong revenue authority — for example, addressing the District Collector when jurisdiction lies with the Tehsildar — results in the application being transferred or returned without action.

Applicant Identity: Full legal name of the applicant exactly as recorded in the revenue records (jamabandi), NADRA CNIC number (13-digit format: XXXXX-XXXXXXX-X), father's name, occupation, and complete residential address. The applicant's name must match the owner's name in the jamabandi — if there is a discrepancy (due to name variation), this must be explained with supporting documentation (CNIC, previous mutation orders).

Property Description: Complete and precise description of the land for which demarcation is sought — including: the mauza (village) name, patwar circle, tehsil, and district; the khasra number(s) or plot number(s) as appearing in the current jamabandi; the total area of the plot in kanals and marlas (for Punjab and KPK) or acres and perches (for Sindh) as per the revenue records; and the khasra number(s) of adjacent lands on all four sides (north, south, east, west) to assist the patwari in locating the plot in the field.

Ownership Basis: A statement of how the applicant holds title to the land — whether by purchase (citing the registry number and date of the sale deed registered at the Sub-Registrar), by inheritance (citing the mutation number and date), by allotment (citing the government allotment order number), or by court decree (citing the civil court case number and date of decree). The relevant mutation number (intiqal number) and the fard-e-malkiyat (current ownership record) should be referenced.

Reason for Demarcation: A clear statement of the purpose of the demarcation request — boundary dispute with a named neighbour, confirmation of boundaries after partition, pre-construction survey, correction of revenue record errors, or mortgage collateral confirmation. Stating the reason assists the revenue officer in prioritising the application and in directing the correct type of demarcation proceeding.

Details of Boundary Dispute (if applicable): Where the application is made in the context of a boundary dispute, the names, CNIC numbers, and addresses of the disputing neighbours whose plots abut the applicant's land must be stated, so that the Tehsildar can issue notice to all parties to attend the demarcation and prevent ex parte proceedings. Under Section 135 of the Land Revenue Act 1967, all adjacent landowners must be given opportunity to be heard before a boundary is officially marked.

Previous Demarcation History: Where the land has previously been demarcated — whether judicially (by court order) or administratively (by previous revenue demarcation) — the dates and references of those previous demarcations should be stated. Repeated demarcation applications for the same plot without change in circumstances may be treated as an abuse of process.

Relief Sought: A precise statement of what the applicant is requesting — for example, 'physical demarcation and marking of boundary pillars (nishandehi) for khasra number [XXX] of mauza [YYY] in accordance with the official shajra (cadastral map) and jamabandi records, and preparation of a tatimma shajra (demarcation report) by the field patwari.' Specificity in the relief sought confirms the revenue officer takes the correct procedural steps.

Forms-legal.com provides this Demarcation Application (Pakistan) template for landowners, purchasers, and co-owners navigating the revenue system to confirm and protect their property boundaries. The template reflects the requirements of the Land Revenue Act 1967, provincial revenue rules, and the Punjab Land Records Authority Act 2017. Legal and revenue advice from a qualified Advocate or licensed revenue practitioner (patwari or tehsildar level) is recommended for contested boundary disputes that may require civil litigation.

Khasra Tatima (Measurement Sketch): The application should request that the demarcating officer produce a Khasra Tatima — a scaled measurement sketch showing the boundaries of the subject Khasra numbers, the areas of each boundary segment, and the relationship of the subject land to neighbouring Khasra numbers and permanent boundary features (canals, roads, watercourses). The Tatima is the documentary output of the demarcation that forms the permanent record in the Patwari's file.

Demarcation Fee: The applicable fee for demarcation services as per the provincial Board of Revenue's schedule of fees, payable by treasury challan at the designated National Bank of Pakistan branch. Demarcation fees in Punjab are prescribed by the Punjab Board of Revenue's Fee Schedule under the Punjab Land Revenue Act 1967.

Adjacent Owner Notification: The Revenue Department is required to give notice to the owners of adjacent land before conducting a demarcation, to confirm they have an opportunity to be present and raise any objections. Any objection by an adjacent owner must be resolved by the Tehsildar after a hearing, with the right of appeal to the Assistant Commissioner and then the Commissioner under the provincial Land Revenue Act. Forms-legal.com provides this Demarcation Application (Pakistan) template as a practical tool for landowners navigating the Revenue Department procedures under the Land Revenue Act 1967 and provincial variants. Legal assistance from a qualified Advocate and guidance from a licensed land surveyor is recommended for complex boundary disputes or high-value land demarcation proceedings.

Under Pakistani law, the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 is the supreme law. The Contract Act 1872 governs contractual obligations. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) administers tax under the Income Tax Ordinance 2001. The High Courts have original and appellate jurisdiction. The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) handles identity documentation. The Federal Shariat Court reviews laws for Islamic compliance.