Legal glossary
The words you will hear in court and at the patwar khana, explained in English and Urdu.
Court papers in Pakistan mix English, Urdu, Persian and Arabic terms. This glossary gives the everyday meaning of the ones clients ask about most, and links each entry to the practice area where it usually comes up.
57 terms
- AcquittalBariyatبریت
A court's finding at the end of a criminal trial that the charge against the accused is not proved. An acquittal ends the case unless the complainant or the State appeals against it.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- AdjudicationAdjudicationایڈجوڈیکیشن
The formal hearing of a customs or tax case by an officer, such as a Collector of Customs, who decides the charge in a show-cause notice and passes an order on duty, confiscation or penalty.
Related practice area: Customs- AffidavitBayan-e-Halfiبیانِ حلفی
A written statement of facts sworn before an oath commissioner or notary. Courts rely on affidavits for many applications, and a false affidavit is an offence.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- AppealAppealاپیل
A challenge to a court's or an officer's decision before a higher forum, which re-examines the facts and the law. Appeals must be filed within fixed time limits.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- Assessment orderAssessment orderاسیسمنٹ آرڈر
An order by a tax officer fixing how much tax a person owes for a year. It can be amended under section 122 of the Income Tax Ordinance and challenged in appeal.
Related practice area: Taxation & FBR- ATIR (Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue)ATIRاپیلیٹ ٹریبونل ان لینڈ ریونیو
The Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue, which hears second appeals in income tax and sales tax cases after the Commissioner (Appeals).
Related practice area: Taxation & FBR
- BailZamanatضمانت
Release of an accused person from custody, or protection from arrest, while the case continues, usually against a surety bond promising that the person will attend court.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence
- Call-up noticeCall-up noticeکال اپ نوٹس
A notice from NAB or another investigating agency requiring a person to appear, answer questions or produce documents in an inquiry or investigation.
Related practice area: Anti-Corruption & NAB- Challan (police report)Challanچالان
The report the police submit to the court under section 173 Cr.P.C. at the end of an investigation, setting out the evidence against the accused so that the trial can begin.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- Cognizable offenceQabil-e-Dast Andaziقابلِ دست اندازیٔ پولیس جرم
An offence for which the police may register an FIR and arrest without a warrant from a magistrate. Most serious offences are cognizable.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- Compounding (compromise)Raazinamaراضی نامہ
A settlement between the complainant and the accused, allowed by law for certain offences, which ends the criminal case with the court's permission.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- Custody (hizanat)Hizanatحضانت
The right to the physical care of a child. Mothers generally have custody of young children, while the father remains the natural guardian responsible for maintenance.
Related practice area: Family Law
- DecreeDigriڈگری
The formal expression of a civil court's final decision, stating what each party is entitled to. A decree is enforced through execution proceedings.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- Dower (haq mehr)Haq Mehrحق مہر
The money or property a husband gives or promises his wife at marriage, recorded in the nikahnama. Prompt dower is payable on demand; deferred dower on divorce or death.
Related practice area: Family Law
- ECL (Exit Control List)ECLایگزٹ کنٹرول لسٹ
A list kept by the Ministry of Interior of people barred from leaving Pakistan. Removal is sought by a representation to the Ministry or a petition before the High Court.
Related practice area: Immigration- Ex parteYak Tarfaیک طرفہ
A proceeding or order made in the absence of one party, usually because that party did not appear after notice. It can often be set aside if a good reason for the absence is shown.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- ExecutionIjraاجرائے ڈگری
Proceedings to enforce a decree, for example by recovering money, attaching property or delivering possession to the decree-holder.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation
- FardFardفرد
A certified extract from the revenue record showing who is recorded as owner of a piece of land and in what share. It is issued by the Arazi Record Centre.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land- FIR (First Information Report)FIRایف آئی آر (ابتدائی اطلاعی رپورٹ)
The first report of a cognizable offence, recorded by the police under section 154 Cr.P.C. It starts the criminal case and the investigation.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence
- GuardianshipSarparastiسرپرستی
Legal responsibility for a minor's person or property, decided by the Guardian Judge under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890, with the child's welfare as the main consideration.
Related practice area: Family Law
- IddatIddatعدت
The waiting period a woman observes after divorce or her husband's death before she may remarry. Under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance a talaq takes effect ninety days after notice to the Union Council.
Related practice area: Family Law- InjunctionHukm-e-Imtinaiحکمِ امتناعی
A court order stopping a party from doing something, such as selling or building on disputed property. It can be temporary, during the case, or permanent, in the decree.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- Intiqal (mutation)Intiqalانتقال
The entry in the revenue record that reflects a change of land ownership after a sale, gift or death. It is attested by the revenue officer under the Punjab Land Revenue Act.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land
- JamabandiJamabandiجمع بندی
The periodic record of rights for a revenue estate, listing owners, cultivators, shares and land details. It is the base document from which a fard is issued.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land
- Khasra numberKhasraخسرہ نمبر
The number given to an individual field or plot in the revenue map of a village. Land is identified in the record by its khasra numbers.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land- KhewatKhewatکھیوٹ
The holding number of an owner, or a group of co-owners, in the record of rights. One khewat can include several khasra numbers.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land- KhulaKhulaخلع
Dissolution of marriage at the wife's instance, granted by the Family Court, usually on return of the dower she received.
Related practice area: Family Law
- Legal heir certificateWarisan Certificateقانونی ورثاء سرٹیفکیٹ
A document identifying the legal heirs of a deceased person, issued by NADRA or the relevant authority and used for inheritance mutation and succession matters.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- LimitationMiyadمیعاد
The time limit within which a suit, appeal or application must be filed. A case filed after the limitation period is usually dismissed without being heard on its merits.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation
- Maintenance (nafqa)Nan Nafqaنان نفقہ
Financial support a husband owes his wife, and a father his children, fixed by the Family Court according to his means and their needs.
Related practice area: Family Law
- NAB referenceNAB Referenceنیب ریفرنس
The charge document NAB files before an Accountability Court after an investigation, on which the accused is tried.
Related practice area: Anti-Corruption & NAB- NICOP and POCNICOPنائیکوپ اور پی او سی
Identity documents NADRA issues to overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and to foreign nationals of Pakistani origin (POC), which allow visa-free entry to and stay in Pakistan.
Related practice area: Immigration- NikahnamaNikahnamaنکاح نامہ
The official marriage contract registered with the Union Council. It records the dower, any delegated right of divorce and other terms, and is central evidence in family cases.
Related practice area: Family Law
- Partition (taqseem)Taqseemتقسیم
Division of jointly owned land among co-owners, sought before the Revenue Court under the Punjab Land Revenue Act or through a civil suit.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land- PatwariPatwariپٹواری
The village-level revenue official who maintains the land records and reports on mutations and disputes to the Tehsildar.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land- PECA (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act)PECAپیکا
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, Pakistan's cyber crime law, covering unauthorised access, online fraud, harassment and misuse of personal information. Offences are investigated by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Related practice area: Cyber Crime & PECA- PlaintArzi Dawaعرضی دعویٰ
The written document that starts a civil suit, setting out the facts, the cause of action and the relief the plaintiff asks for.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- Post-arrest bailBaad az Giraftari Zamanatبعد از گرفتاری ضمانت
Bail sought after arrest under section 497 Cr.P.C. It turns on whether the offence falls within the prohibitory clause and whether there are reasonable grounds against the accused.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- Power of attorney (mukhtarnama)Mukhtarnamaمختار نامہ
A document authorising another person to act for you, for example to file a case or sell property. For use in Pakistan from abroad it must be attested by a Pakistani mission.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- Pre-arrest bailQabl az Giraftari Zamanatقبل از گرفتاری ضمانت
Protection from arrest granted under section 498 Cr.P.C. where the arrest appears to be intended for an ulterior motive or in bad faith.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- Pre-emption (shufa)Shufaشفعہ
The right of certain people, such as co-owners or neighbours, to buy land in preference to an outside buyer, claimed by a suit under the Punjab Pre-emption Act, 1991 within strict time limits.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land
- RemandRemandریمانڈ
A magistrate's order allowing the police to keep an arrested person in custody for investigation (physical remand), or sending them to jail while the case proceeds (judicial remand).
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- RevisionNigraniنگرانی
A limited remedy in which a higher court checks whether a lower court acted within its jurisdiction and without material irregularity, where no appeal lies.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation
- SECPSECPایس ای سی پی
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, which registers companies, supervises their filings and can penalise defaults under the Companies Act, 2017.
Related practice area: Corporate & SECP- Show-cause noticeShow-cause noticeشوکاز نوٹس
A notice asking a person to explain why action should not be taken against them, used in tax, customs, SECP and service proceedings. The reply often decides the case.
Related practice area: Taxation & FBR- Stay orderStay Orderاسٹے آرڈر
An interim order that pauses something, such as the sale of property, the recovery of tax or the operation of a lower court's order, until the court decides the matter.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- Succession certificateWirasati Certificateوراثتی سرٹیفکیٹ
A certificate authorising heirs to collect a deceased person's debts and securities, such as bank balances and shares. It is issued by the court under the Succession Act, 1925, or by NADRA for undisputed estates.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- SummonsSummonسمن
A court order requiring a person to appear, as a party or a witness, or to produce a document on a given date.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- SuretyZaminضامن
A person who undertakes that an accused released on bail will attend court, and who becomes liable under the bond if they do not.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence
- TalaqTalaqطلاق
Divorce pronounced by the husband. Under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 he must give written notice to the Union Council, and the talaq takes effect after ninety days unless revoked.
Related practice area: Family Law- TehsildarTehsildarتحصیلدار
The revenue officer in charge of a tehsil, who attests mutations and hears many first-instance revenue matters.
Related practice area: Revenue & Land- TribunalTribunalٹریبونل
A specialised forum that decides a particular kind of dispute, such as service, tax, customs or banking cases, in place of or before the ordinary courts.
Related practice area: Service Matters
- VakalatnamaVakalatnamaوکالت نامہ
The document by which a client authorises an advocate to appear and act for them in a case. It is filed with the court.
- Valuation rulingValuation Rulingویلیوایشن رولنگ
A customs determination of the value of a class of goods under section 25A of the Customs Act, used to assess duty. It can be revised by the Director General of Valuation.
Related practice area: Customs
- WarrantWarrantوارنٹ
A court order directing the police to arrest a person or search a place, usually issued when a summons has been ignored or the offence requires it.
Related practice area: Criminal Defence- Writ petitionWritرٹ درخواست
A petition under Article 199 of the Constitution asking the High Court to direct a public authority to act lawfully, where no other adequate remedy exists.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation- Written statementJawab-e-Dawaجوابِ دعویٰ
The defendant's written reply to a plaint in a civil suit, admitting or denying each allegation and setting out the defence.
Related practice area: Civil Litigation
Legal glossary
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