No Criminal Record Affidavit (Pakistan)

A No Criminal Record Affidavit in Pakistan evidences the deponent's sworn confirmation of the matters stated, for use where formal proof is needed.

The Criminal Procedure Code 1898 (CrPC) provides the procedural framework for criminal prosecutions in Pakistan. Under the CrPC, a person is formally convicted only when a court of competent jurisdiction — a Sessions Court, a Judicial Magistrate, a Special Court, or an Anti-Terrorism Court — pronounces a judgment of guilt and imposes a sentence. Mere registration of an FIR (First Information Report) under Section 154 CrPC, or placement on a challan (charge sheet), or acquittal, or compounding of an offence, does not constitute a criminal conviction. A No Criminal Record Affidavit correctly covers convictions only — not pending cases, acquittals, or FIRs alone.

The Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 (President's Order No. 10 of 1984) governs the admissibility and weight of evidence in Pakistani courts, including affidavit evidence. Article 164 of the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984 provides that the court may at any time order that particular facts may be proved by affidavit. A No Criminal Record Affidavit, once sworn and attested, creates a formal legal record that the deponent has made a public declaration of their clean criminal history.

Police character certificates are distinct from No Criminal Record Affidavits in Pakistan. A police character certificate is issued by the District Superintendent of Police (SP) or Divisional Police Officer (DPO) through the Pakistan Police, following a formal verification inquiry under the Police Act 1861 and Police Order 2002, and confirms the absence of any criminal record as per police records. Many foreign visa applications, international employers, and overseas employment agencies through the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) under the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation require both a police character certificate and a No Criminal Record Affidavit. The affidavit supplements the police certificate by adding the deponent's personal sworn declaration.

False statements in a No Criminal Record Affidavit constitute perjury under Section 193 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860 (PPC), punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine. Where a false No Criminal Record Affidavit is used to obtain a government appointment, the appointment may be voided, and the deponent may face additional charges of fraud under Sections 417–420 PPC and misconduct under the applicable service rules — such as the Civil Servants Act 1973 for federal employees or the relevant provincial Civil Servants Act for provincial employees.

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) maintains the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) database linking each Pakistani citizen to their biometric identity. The 13-digit CNIC number must be stated in the No Criminal Record Affidavit to confirm the deponent's identity beyond doubt, particularly where the affidavit is submitted to foreign embassies, international organisations, or overseas employers through Pakistan's Protector of Emigrants offices under the Emigration Ordinance 1979.

A No Criminal Record Affidavit in Pakistan is required in a wide range of employment, immigration, professional licensing, and administrative contexts where a person must formally declare the absence of a criminal history.

A No Criminal Record Affidavit is needed when a Pakistani citizen applies for employment with a federal or provincial government department. Under the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules 1973 and equivalent provincial rules, government employees are required to disclose any criminal convictions at the time of appointment. Many government recruitment processes — including those of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) and provincial Public Service Commissions — require an affidavit confirming no criminal record as part of the character verification process before issuance of the appointment letter.

A No Criminal Record Affidavit is required when a Pakistani national applies for a work visa, skilled migration visa, or permanent residency in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or the European Union. These countries' immigration authorities and their Pakistani visa application centres require a No Criminal Record Affidavit from the applicant, frequently alongside a police character certificate from the relevant district police. The Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) under the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development also requires character clearance documents for registration of overseas employment contracts.

A No Criminal Record Affidavit is needed when a person applies for enrolment as an advocate before a provincial Bar Council — Lahore Bar Council, Sindh Bar Council, KP Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council, or Islamabad Bar Council — under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act 1973. Bar Council enrolment rules require applicants to demonstrate good moral character, which includes the absence of criminal convictions.

A No Criminal Record Affidavit is required when a person applies for a private security guard licence, arms licence, or firearm licence under the Arms Act 1878 and Arms Ordinance 1965. The licensing authority — typically the District Magistrate or Home Department — requires a sworn declaration of no criminal record in addition to a police verification report.

A No Criminal Record Affidavit is needed when an employee is being considered for appointment to a sensitive position — such as a bank officer regulated by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), a financial institution employee subject to Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010, or a healthcare professional licensed by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Ordinance 1962. Regulatory bodies increasingly require character clearance documentation from professional licensees.

A valid No Criminal Record Affidavit in Pakistan under the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984, the Oaths Act 1873, and the Criminal Procedure Code 1898 must contain the following essential elements to be accepted by courts, government departments, professional bodies, embassies, and employers.

Stamp Paper: The affidavit must be executed on non-judicial stamp paper of the correct denomination purchased from a licensed stamp vendor under the Stamp Act 1899. The standard denomination is PKR 50 to PKR 100 depending on the province — Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, or Balochistan. Under Section 35 of the Stamp Act 1899, an unstamped affidavit is inadmissible in evidence and may be impounded by any officer before whom it is produced.

Deponent Particulars: Full legal name exactly as it appears on the CNIC issued by NADRA; father's name (used as a second identifier in Pakistani legal documents); date of birth; 13-digit CNIC number; permanent residential address; and occupation. For overseas Pakistanis, the NICOP number replaces the CNIC number.

Core Declaration: The affidavit must contain a clear sworn statement in the following terms: that the deponent has never been convicted of any criminal offence by any court of law in Pakistan or abroad; that no criminal case resulting in conviction is pending against the deponent; and that the deponent has never been imprisoned for a criminal offence. The declaration must distinguish between conviction (which is covered) and pending FIRs or acquitted cases (which are not convictions).

Specific Jurisdiction Scope: Where the affidavit is required by a foreign embassy or overseas employer, the declaration should specify the territorial scope — covering all courts in Pakistan (including Sessions Courts, Magistrate Courts, Anti-Terrorism Courts, and Special Courts) and any court of any foreign country in which the deponent has resided. This broad scope satisfies the requirements of foreign immigration authorities.

Purpose Statement: The affidavit must state the specific purpose for which it is being made — for example, for submission to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates for work visa processing; for submission to the Federal Public Service Commission for government employment; or for submission to the Lahore Bar Council for advocate enrolment. Stating the purpose confirms the context and limits the scope of the declaration.

Verification Clause: The standard verification clause under the Code of Civil Procedure 1908 must be included: "I, [name], the deponent, 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 material has been concealed." The oath is administered according to the deponent's religion under the Oaths Act 1873.

Perjury Warning: The affidavit must include a statement that the deponent is fully 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, and that a false declaration made to obtain a government appointment or professional licence may constitute fraud under Sections 417–420 PPC.

Attestation Block: The attesting authority — Oath Commissioner (appointed by the relevant High Court), First Class Judicial Magistrate, or Notary Public under the Notaries Ordinance 1961 — must sign, stamp, and date the attestation block after verifying the deponent's identity by inspection of the original CNIC. The attesting officer's name, designation, and commission or appointment number must be stated.

Forms-legal.com provides this No Criminal Record Affidavit (Pakistan) template as a practical resource for individuals applying for government employment, professional licensing, overseas employment, or visa applications. Persons with complex criminal history matters — including acquittals, compounded cases, or overseas convictions — should consult a qualified advocate enrolled at a provincial Bar Council before making sworn declarations, to confirm accuracy and avoid perjury liability under Section 193 of the Pakistan Penal Code 1860.