Affidavit of Name Correction (Pakistan)

An Affidavit of Name Correction 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.

Name discrepancies in Pakistan arise from a number of common causes: transliteration differences between Urdu and English spelling of the same name (for example, "Fatima" recorded as "Fatma" or "Fatiha"), clerical errors by officials at Union Councils, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), provincial Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), federal and provincial education boards, passport offices operated by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, or hospital birth registers. The discrepancy between the CNIC-recorded name and the name on a matriculation certificate, intermediate certificate, or degree certificate issued by a university chartered under the Higher Education Commission Ordinance 2002 is among the most frequently encountered problems for Pakistani job applicants, students applying for overseas education, and candidates appearing before the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) or provincial Public Service Commissions.

The Affidavit of Name Correction 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. Under Section 35 of the Stamp Act 1899, an instrument that is not duly stamped is inadmissible as evidence and liable to impoundment. The stamp paper must be purchased from a licensed stamp vendor authorised by the provincial Board of Revenue of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, or Balochistan.

The deponent's identity must be established by production of their original Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) issued by NADRA, which displays the 13-digit CNIC number, the deponent's photograph, and the recorded name. The affidavit must state both the incorrect name (as it appears in the erroneous document) and the correct legal name (as it appears on the CNIC or other authoritative identity document), and must explain the nature and likely cause of the discrepancy.

A false declaration in an Affidavit of Name Correction — for example, claiming a different name to avoid accountability for criminal convictions or debts — constitutes perjury under Section 193 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 (PPC), punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has authority to investigate fraudulent use of name correction affidavits to obtain identity documents or travel documents under false pretences.

Name discrepancies are endemic in Pakistan's administrative records because multiple parallel registration systems — NADRA CNIC, Matriculation Certificate (Board of Secondary Education), birth registration (Union Council), passport (Directorate General of Immigration), property records (Revenue Department), and marriage certificate (Union Council Nikahnama) — have historically operated independently and without cross-verification. A name spelled differently in each record creates cascading problems for property transfer, succession proceedings, bank account operations, and foreign visa applications. The Affidavit of Name Correction (Pakistan) bridges these discrepancies by providing a sworn explanation of the variation and confirming the deponent's single true legal identity. Courts in Pakistan, including the Lahore High Court and Sindh High Court, have consistently held that a properly executed name correction affidavit constitutes sufficient proof of identity consolidation for most administrative and legal purposes.

An Affidavit of Name Correction in Pakistan is required in a wide variety of administrative, employment, educational, and regulatory situations where a name discrepancy between official documents must be resolved by a sworn declaration.

NADRA corrections are one of the most common uses. When a Pakistani citizen's CNIC bears a name that differs from the name on their birth certificate, school records, or university degree, NADRA's record correction process — governed by the National Database and Registration Authority Ordinance 2000 — requires the applicant to submit a notarised Affidavit of Name Correction along with supporting documentary evidence before the Computerised National Identity Card can be updated.

An Affidavit of Name Correction is required by provincial Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) — including BISE Lahore, BISE Karachi, BISE Peshawar, BISE Quetta, and other boards — when a student applies for a correction to the name recorded on their matriculation or intermediate certificate. The BISE correction procedure requires submission of an affidavit explaining the discrepancy alongside an application form and the original erroneous certificate.

A Name Correction Affidavit is needed when a Pakistani employee applies for a government job through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) or a provincial Public Service Commission (PPSC, SPSC, KPPSC, BPSC), and the name on their educational certificates does not match the name on their CNIC. The verification process for government employment mandates consistency across all official documents.

An Affidavit of Name Correction is required when applying for a passport or renewing a passport at a Regional Passport Office of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, where the applicant's CNIC name differs from the name in earlier passport records or on supporting documents such as birth certificates or school leaving certificates.

Banks and financial institutions regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) require a Name Correction Affidavit when a customer's account records or loan documents carry a different spelling or form of name from that on their current CNIC, particularly during Know Your Customer (KYC) review exercises mandated by the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 and SBP regulations.

An Affidavit of Name Correction in Pakistan is further required when a matriculation or intermediate certificate from a Board of Secondary Education records a name differently from the CNIC, creating a mismatch that blocks university admissions, FPSC and PPSC competitive examination eligibility verification, or government employment background checks. Bank account holders whose account name does not match their CNIC are now flagged under the State Bank of Pakistan's Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations, requiring a name correction affidavit to regularise the account and avoid account freezing under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010.

A legally effective Affidavit of Name Correction in Pakistan under the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 must contain all the following elements to be accepted by NADRA, government departments, educational boards, banks, and courts.

Stamp Paper with Correct Denomination: The affidavit must be executed on non-judicial stamp paper purchased from a licensed vendor of the provincial Board of Revenue. The Stamp Act 1899 requires the proper denomination — typically PKR 50 to PKR 100 for Punjab and Sindh, PKR 100 for KPK and the Islamabad Capital Territory — and the serial number of the stamp paper must appear on the document. Under Section 35 of the Stamp Act 1899, an improperly stamped instrument is inadmissible and may be impounded.

Deponent Identification: Full legal name as it appears on the CNIC, father's or husband's name, NADRA CNIC number (13-digit format: XXXXX-XXXXXXX-X), age, residential address, and the city where the affidavit is sworn. All four provinces and Islamabad Capital Territory require this information for identity verification.

Statement of the Incorrect Name: Clear identification of the incorrect name as it appears in the erroneous document — for example, "Fatma" on the BISE Lahore matriculation certificate — with identification of the document type, issuing authority, and document reference number or roll number.

Statement of the Correct Legal Name: Clear statement of the deponent's correct legal name — for example, "Fatima" — as it appears on the CNIC issued by NADRA or another authoritative document, with explanation of how and why the discrepancy arose. The affidavit should confirm that the incorrect name and the correct name both refer to the same person.

Both Names in the Same Person Declaration: An explicit sworn declaration that the deponent with the incorrect name recorded in the erroneous document is one and the same person as the deponent with the correct name stated in this affidavit. This declaration is the legal core of the document and is the statement that receiving authorities rely upon.

Explanation of Discrepancy: A factual explanation of the likely cause of the name discrepancy — for example, clerical error, transliteration difference between Urdu and English, spelling variation at the time of initial registration, or error by the original recording authority. The explanation should be specific rather than generic.

Verification Clause and Oath: The standard verification clause confirming that the contents are true to the best of the deponent's knowledge and belief, sworn or affirmed under the Oaths Act 1873 before the competent authority. Muslims swear on the Quran; members of other faiths affirm or swear on their own holy scripture.

Perjury Warning: An acknowledgment that the deponent is aware that a false declaration constitutes perjury under Section 193 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860, punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment and a fine.

Witness Details: NADRA and some BISE offices require two adult witnesses who confirm that the deponent is known to them by both names. Witness names, CNIC numbers, and addresses must be provided.

Oath Commissioner Attestation: Signature, stamp, and commission number of the Oath Commissioner (Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court, Peshawar High Court, Balochistan High Court, or Islamabad High Court appointee), First Class Judicial Magistrate, or Notary Public, with confirmation of CNIC verification and date and city of attestation.

Forms-legal.com provides this Affidavit of Name Correction (Pakistan) template to help individuals resolve document discrepancies efficiently. The template reflects requirements of the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984, Stamp Act 1899, Oaths Act 1873, NADRA Ordinance 2000, and Section 193 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860. Deponents facing complex discrepancies or legal scrutiny should consult an Advocate enrolled at the relevant provincial Bar Council.