A power of attorney is the document that lets somebody act for you in Pakistan while you stay abroad. Get it right and everything else becomes possible; get it wrong and a registrar or a judge will simply refuse to accept it. We draft it, tell you exactly where to sign it, and register it once it arrives.
Almost every matter we handle for an overseas client begins with a power of attorney — a mukhtiarnama. It is the instrument through which you authorise somebody in Pakistan to do specific things on your behalf: appear in court, sign a transfer, collect a document, receive money, appoint counsel.
It is also the single most common point of failure. A power of attorney drawn up by a notary in Birmingham or Toronto and posted to a cousin in Faisalabad is very often rejected, because a document executed outside Pakistan generally needs to be attested by a Pakistani diplomatic mission before authorities in Pakistan will act on it. Powers that are too vaguely worded get refused too — a registrar asked to transfer land will want to see that authority spelled out, not implied.
The other risk is the opposite one: a power of attorney that is far too wide. A general power handing somebody the right to sell any property you own, in favour of a relative you are not entirely sure about, is how people lose land. We draft to the narrowest authority that will actually get the job done.
Authority limited to one defined matter — conduct a specific suit, transfer one identified plot, collect one document. This is what we recommend in most cases, because its limits are its protection.
Broad authority over your affairs or property in Pakistan. Sometimes necessary, particularly for ongoing business, but it should be given deliberately and to someone whose interests genuinely align with yours.
You can grant the power to us as your lawyers rather than to a family member. For contested matters this is usually the cleaner choice — it keeps the authority with a professional who is accountable to you.
A power of attorney can be revoked, and where the original was registered the revocation should be registered too. If you suspect an existing power is being misused, this is urgent — tell us on the first call.
Do not worry if you are missing some of these — bring what you have. Part of our job is obtaining the rest.
Usually not on its own. For a document to be acted on by courts, registrars and revenue offices in Pakistan, attestation by the Pakistani diplomatic mission covering your area is normally required. Local notarisation alone is frequently refused, which is why we ask you not to sign anything before we have confirmed the route.
The drafting is quick — typically a couple of days. The variable parts are how soon your nearest Pakistani mission can give you an appointment and how long the courier takes. Registration in Pakistan, where needed, is a further short step. We cannot promise a date, because the appointment is not ours to control.
It depends on the matter and, frankly, on the family. For litigation and for anything where a relative may have a competing interest in the same property, granting it to us is usually safer. For routine or ongoing personal matters a trusted relative may be entirely appropriate.
A wide general power in the wrong hands can be misused, which is exactly why we draft narrowly and why revocation matters. If you believe an existing power over your property is being misused, raise it immediately — there are steps available, but they work better early.
Tell us at the consultation. Missions have their own procedures for these situations and the right approach depends on the circumstances and the mission concerned.
Tell us the situation and we will tell you honestly where you stand — whether or not you go on to instruct us. Everything you share is confidential.