Punjab to replace Fard with green property certificate

LAHORE: The Punjab government has launched a pilot initiative to phase out the issuance of Fard, the record of land ownership, and replace it with a green property certificate, beginning in Sahiwal district from May 1.

According to a report, the move is part of a broader effort to reform land and revenue administration across the province. Under the new arrangement, land and property transfers will be carried out through the green property certificate, which is intended to serve as proof of ownership, possession and other legal rights linked to land.

An official in the Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA), a subsidiary of the Punjab Board of Revenue (BoR), said the change marked a shift away from the longstanding system in which Fard was treated as the primary document establishing ownership of property. He said the new certificate would first be introduced in Sahiwal on May 1, followed by Lodhran and Hafizabad from July 1.

“This is a step towards ending the very old system under which the Fard was considered to be a primary source of ownership of any property. We are starting it (green property certificate) from Sahiwal district on May 1, followed by Lodhran and Hafizabad districts from July 1st,” the official said.

He added that after the old system is abolished, property transactions would be conducted only through green property certificates, and said the authorities planned to extend the new system across Punjab by December 2026.

Explaining the rationale for the change, the official said Fard only establishes ownership rights and does not confirm possession, provide adequate proof for obtaining a loan, or show whether a property is free from legal complications. “the Fard is the document that only proves someone has property ownership rights and not the possession of property or the sufficient proof for getting loan or proves that the property doesn’t have any legal issue etc. But the green certificate fulfills all these rights,” he said.

Board of Revenue notification

According to a letter issued by the BoR on April 28, the board ordered the suspension of extracts of the record of rights, or Fard, under rule 36-A of the Punjab Land Record Authority Rules, 1968, within the territorial limits of Sahiwal district.

“It is further notified that the Green Property Certificate and property reports issued under the Punjab PLRA (management of land records) Regulations 2025 duly framed and notified under sections 14, 15 and 16 of the PLRA Act, 2017 (Act VI of 2017) shall constitute the sole valid documents for land record transactions within the territorial jurisdiction of District Sahiwal,” reads the letter.

The PLRA official said the initiative was aimed at curbing forged Fards, preventing unlawful property transfers, reducing corruption and stopping other illegal practices related to property transfers and possession.

The project is being rolled out as a pilot before its planned expansion to the rest of the province.