How to Buy Property in Pakistan from Abroad: A Step-by-Step Guide for Overseas Pakistanis

Overseas Pakistanis can buy property in Pakistan without travelling by paying through a Roshan Digital Account (with the bank vetting the seller and handling transfer), by appointing a trusted attorney through NADRA's digital power of attorney, or by registering through PLRA's e-registration with a foreign mission as local commission; NICOP or POC holders who live abroad pay advance tax at the filer rate, currently 1.25% under section 236K.

You can buy property in Pakistan from abroad without flying home. The three main routes are a Roshan Digital Account purchase, where the bank values the property, screens the seller and pays them, per SBP; a NADRA digital power of attorney for someone you trust in Pakistan; and PLRA e-registration with a Pakistani mission acting as local commission.

If you hold a NICOP or POC and spend less than 183 days a year in Pakistan, FBR lets you pay advance tax at the filer rate even if you are not a filer, according to FBR's FAQs. Under the FY2026-27 FBR withholding rate card, that is 1.25% under section 236K instead of 10.5% for a non-filer buying property up to Rs 50 million.

The three ways to buy from abroad

Many buyers combine them: they pay through a Roshan Digital Account and give a limited power of attorney for society transfer paperwork.

Route 1: Pay through your Roshan Digital Account

The Roshan Digital Account (RDA) lets non-resident Pakistanis, including POC holders, open bank accounts in Pakistan remotely. Funds can be repatriated without approval from a bank or SBP, and NRPs can invest in commercial and residential real estate, according to SBP's RDA brochure.

For a purchase with your own funds, SBP describes this process through a participating bank's Roshan Apna Ghar page, per SBP:

1. Select the property.
2. Submit copies of the title documents.
3. Nominate a person in Pakistan to complete the sale and transfer.
4. The bank values the property and screens the seller.
5. The bank pays the seller or beneficiary directly from your RDA.

For lien-based and self-financed purchases, SBP says no physical presence is needed to execute the transfer deed, which is done as an ex-parte transaction. That is the cleanest option if the property has a registered title.

RDA is widely used. By end-September 2026, overseas Pakistanis had sent US$14.157 billion through about 975,602 RDA accounts, APP reported.

Route 2: Roshan Apna Ghar financing

If you want a loan, Roshan Apna Ghar offers conventional and Islamic home finance for 3 to 25 years, in lien-based, non-lien-based, self-financing and off-plan variants, SBP says.

Banks set their own limits and documents. Bank Alfalah's Islamic version, for example, lists financing of up to 99% of value for lien-based purchase and up to 80% for non-lien, a minimum of Rs 500,000 and a processing fee of Rs 4,000 plus FED, on its product page. A co-applicant who is an immediate family member is mandatory there.

For non-lien loans, SBP says you can attend in person or issue a power of attorney for the transfer deed and mortgage. Our separate guide on Roshan Digital Account property purchase covers the products in detail.

Route 3: Appoint an attorney with NADRA's digital power of attorney

NADRA's online power of attorney lets overseas Pakistanis with a NICOP, CNIC or POC authorise someone in Pakistan without visiting a mission for the paperwork, ProPakistani reported. The portal is poa.nadra.gov.pk.

The process, as set out by the Pakistan Embassy in Denmark:

1. Create an account on the PoA portal and verify it by OTP.
2. Upload the scanned, signed power of attorney with your photo and thumb impressions, plus details of the attorney and two witnesses.
3. Submit fingerprints: four fingers of yours and of each witness.
4. Pay the fee online by card.
5. Attend a video interview with a consular officer of your chosen mission.
6. Give final consent by email.

Foreign nationals of Pakistani origin may need attestation by their country's foreign ministry and a visit to the mission. The manual process still runs alongside.

A power of attorney is powerful. Keep it specific: name the property, the transaction and the price limits. Our guide on avoiding fraud covers this in detail.

Route 4: PLRA e-registration through a foreign mission

For property registered with the Punjab Land Records Authority, PLRA's e-registration lets a Pakistani foreign mission act as the local commission. PLRA's FY2026-27 schedule charges US$100 per transaction for this, plus a US$50 service charge for overseas land record services through missions, Daily Times reported.

The e-registration fee for a sale is 0.1% of the property value, with a minimum of Rs 3,600, according to APP.

Society property: DHA and private schemes

Society plots and houses transfer through the society, not only the land registry. DHA Lahore runs a separate "foreign transfer" process for when the buyer or seller is abroad, with charges that depend on phase, size and property type, per its service schedule. A Special Power of Attorney registered with DHA costs Rs 10,000 and takes 15 working days.

Before buying in any private society, check its approval with LDA or the relevant authority. In 2025, officials said 206 of 707 LDA-area schemes were illegal, Pakistan Today reported.

Taxes for overseas buyers

FBR treats a NICOP or POC holder who stays less than 183 days in Pakistan in a financial year as eligible for the filer rate under sections 236K and 236C. The registrar or society creates a PSID through the FBR portal's "Overseas Pakistanis" link, the Commissioner approves it, and you then pay at the filer rate, ProPakistani reported.

Rates for FY2026-27 under the Finance Act 2026, per FBR's withholding rate card (filer rates are now flat across value bands):

Rates change with each budget; confirm the current card before you pay.

Worked example

You buy a house in Lahore with a fair market value of Rs 20 million.

• 236K advance tax at the filer rate: 1.25% × Rs 20,000,000 = about Rs 250,000.
• If you did not qualify and paid the non-filer rate: 10.5% = Rs 2,100,000.
• PLRA e-registration fee: 0.1% = Rs 20,000.
• If the deed is executed through a mission as local commission: US$100.

Stamp duty and any other provincial charges are extra. Confirm current rates with PLRA or the Board of Revenue before payment.

Step-by-step checklist

1. Decide your route: RDA own funds, Roshan Apna Ghar loan, power of attorney, or a mix.
2. Verify the scheme's approval (LDA QR code or website) and the title (fard or society verification).
3. Get the seller's documents scanned and checked by your bank or lawyer.
4. Open or fund your RDA, or appoint an attorney with a limited, specific power of attorney.
5. Apply for the overseas filer rate through the registrar or society's PSID.
6. Pay the seller only through the bank, never in cash.
7. Collect the registered deed, mutation or society transfer letter in your name.

This guide is general information; confirm current rates with FBR/the bank/a lawyer before you pay.

Sources