Affidavit of Good Character (Pakistan)

An Affidavit of Good Character in Pakistan provides a formal sworn account of the facts it concerns, executed in the manner the law requires for it to be relied on.

The Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 replaced the Indian Evidence Act 1872 in Pakistan, incorporating Islamic evidentiary principles alongside inherited common law standards. Article 46 of the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 provides that in criminal proceedings, the accused may give evidence of their good character as a relevant fact. The Affidavit of Good Character is the formal mechanism through which this evidence is presented in written, sworn form — and is equally used in civil, administrative, and regulatory proceedings where a person's character is a relevant consideration.

The Oaths Act 1873, a federal statute operative throughout Pakistan, prescribes the form of oath or solemn affirmation administered before competent authorities. Muslims swear on the Holy Quran; members of other faiths affirm or swear on their respective holy scripture. A false declaration in an Affidavit of Good Character constitutes the offence of perjury under Section 193 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 (PPC), carrying imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine — a criminal sanction that underpins the document's evidentiary value.

The Stamp Act 1899, administered by provincial Boards of Revenue in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, requires the affidavit to be executed on non-judicial stamp paper of the appropriate denomination — typically PKR 50 to PKR 100. An unstamped affidavit is inadmissible as evidence under Section 35 of the Stamp Act 1899.

The Affidavit of Good Character complements but does not replace the Police Character Certificate issued by the relevant District Police Officer (DPO) or Superintendent of Police (SP) after a criminal record check with the National Criminal Records Bureau of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and provincial police databases. The Police Character Certificate is an official government document; the Affidavit of Good Character is a private sworn declaration by a person who personally knows the subject. Both are often required together — the Police Character Certificate for institutional verification, and the Affidavit of Good Character for personal testimony of the subject's conduct.

The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) and Provincial Public Service Commissions — Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission (KPKPSC), and Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC) — require Affidavits of Good Character as part of the documentation for government service appointments, particularly for gazetted posts under the Civil Services Act 1973 and equivalent provincial civil services legislation.

An Affidavit of Good Character in Pakistan is required across employment, educational, immigration, and legal contexts where a person's moral standing and absence of criminal history must be formally established by sworn testimony.

An Affidavit of Good Character is needed when applying for a position in the civil service of Pakistan — federal or provincial — through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC), Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC), KPK Public Service Commission, or Balochistan Public Service Commission. The character affidavit is typically submitted alongside the Police Character Certificate as part of the pre-appointment verification process under the Civil Servants Act 1973 and Service Rules.

An Affidavit of Good Character is required when applying for admission to a professional degree programme — Law (LL.B.) at a university affiliated with a provincial Bar Council, Medicine (MBBS) at a medical college regulated by the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), or Engineering at a university affiliated with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) — where the admissions committee requires evidence of the applicant's character and absence of disciplinary proceedings.

An Affidavit of Good Character is needed when applying for a visa to the United Kingdom, European Union countries, Canada, Australia, or other destinations that require evidence of the applicant's good character, particularly for immigration categories such as skilled worker visas, student visas, or family settlement visas where character is an eligibility criterion.

An Affidavit of Good Character is required when applying for a licence, registration, or permit from a regulatory authority — such as enrolment as an Advocate before a provincial Bar Council (Lahore Bar Council, Sindh Bar Council, Peshawar Bar Council, Quetta Bar Council, or Islamabad Bar Council) under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973, or registration as a medical practitioner with the Pakistan Medical Commission under the PMC Act 2020.

An Affidavit of Good Character is needed in criminal proceedings before Sessions Courts, High Courts, or the Supreme Court of Pakistan when the accused or a person associated with the proceedings seeks to establish good character as a mitigating factor in sentencing, bail applications, or character-sensitive determinations under the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898.

An Affidavit of Good Character is required when a bank regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) or a microfinance institution regulated under the Microfinance Institutions Ordinance 2001 requires character references from a loan applicant who lacks a credit history on the Credit Information Bureau (CIB) of the SBP.

A valid Affidavit of Good Character in Pakistan under the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 and the Oaths Act 1873 must contain the following essential elements to be effective before employers, courts, embassies, and regulatory authorities.

Stamp Paper: The affidavit must be executed on non-judicial stamp paper of the denomination prescribed under the Stamp Act 1899 — typically PKR 50 to PKR 100 depending on the province. The stamp paper serial number must appear on the document. An unstamped affidavit is inadmissible under Section 35 of the Stamp Act 1899 and may be impounded.

Deponent's Identity and Credentials: The full legal name of the deponent as stated on their NADRA CNIC, their father's name, age, CNIC number, occupation, designation (if a gazetted officer, advocate, retired judge, professor, or other person of standing), and residential address. The deponent's credibility and authority to comment on the subject's character should be evident from their credentials — a senior civil servant, retired officer of the armed forces of Pakistan, or a fellow Advocate at a provincial Bar Council carries greater weight than an anonymous private citizen.

Subject's Identity: The full legal name of the person whose character is being attested, their CNIC number, age, relationship to the deponent (colleague, neighbour, student, mentee), and residential address. The affidavit must state how long the deponent has known the subject personally and in what capacity.

Character Declaration: A clear, specific declaration that the subject: (a) is a person of good moral character and upstanding conduct in the community; (b) has not been convicted of any criminal offence by any court of competent jurisdiction in Pakistan or abroad, to the best of the deponent's knowledge; (c) has not been involved in any criminal investigation or inquiry known to the deponent; (d) is a law-abiding citizen who respects the laws of Pakistan and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1973; and (e) is honest, trustworthy, and of good repute in their community, profession, or institution.

Basis of Knowledge: A statement of how the deponent knows the subject — number of years of acquaintance, nature of relationship (professional, academic, community), and the contexts in which the deponent has observed the subject's character. The Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 requires a distinction between direct knowledge and belief based on information received from others.

Perjury Warning: A statement that the deponent is aware that making a false declaration constitutes perjury under Section 193 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 (PPC), punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine. This warning reinforces the legal gravity of the sworn character reference.

Verification Clause: The standard verification clause: 'I, [deponent name], do hereby solemnly swear/affirm that the contents of this affidavit are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and nothing has been concealed.' The oath is administered in accordance with the deponent's religion under the Oaths Act 1873.

Attestation: The affidavit must be attested by an Oath Commissioner appointed by a High Court (Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court, Peshawar High Court, Balochistan High Court, or Islamabad High Court), a First Class Judicial Magistrate, or a Notary Public commissioned under the Notaries Ordinance 1961. The attesting authority must sign, affix their official seal, and note the date and city of attestation.

Forms-legal.com provides this Affidavit of Good Character (Pakistan) template as a practical starting point for character reference requirements. The specific format and number of character affidavits required varies by institution — applicants should verify requirements with the FPSC, PPSC, Bar Council, university, or embassy before preparing this document.