General Power of Attorney

Bahria Town doesn’t accept General Power of Attorney (POE) if the owner or seller is present in Pakistan; however, it accepts the same if the owner of the property is based outside Pakistan. One has to go through a long and laborious process to acquire the same. It may be noted that the Power of Attorney for buying is a very straightforward process which can be done on a simple stamp paper from any stamp vendor. In this article, we are giving details of POE of seller.

First of all, owner of the property (Executant) has to visit the nearest Pakistani diplomatic mission abroad (Consulate or Embassy or High Commission). He should carry the POE on a white paper (no need of Stamp Paper); the specimen of which is available from any Bahria office or Stamp Vendors. The Mission will attest the document and give a photocopy to the Executant while it will send the original document to the Foreign Office Islamabad (FOI) through its official channel. The owner (Executant) will send his copy to Pakistan to the person on whose name POE is intended to be executed. The job of the owner (Executant) ends here and the rest of the process is carried out by the person in Pakistan.

He (the person in Pakistan) should visit the FOI along with his copy which he received from the owner (Executant) approximately after two weeks as it takes almost this much time for the mail to arrive in Pakistan. You can also confirm the arrival of documents from FOI on phone 051-9207895 but normally this number remains busy.

On arrival in FOI, you will first get the Token No and on your turn (normally Counter 7 & 8 deal with POE) you will be asked to paste tickets worth Rs. 60 to 100 on the POE from the Post Office which is also located there. You will also be asked to produce your original CNIC and then you will be told to visit the relevant Registrar of Revenue department for the next action.
In case of Bahria Town Rawalpindi, you will then visit Tehsil Office Revenue City Saddar Road, Raja Bazar Rawalpindi. It is better to hire services of some Stamp Vendor (so many are there in Tehsil Office) who will charge you around Rs. 1000 and guide/ help you through all the process. However, its not difficult and you can do it yourself too.

Registrar Office will send the POE to FOI under a covering letter asking them for the verification of POE. This letter if processed through official channel will take minimum from 15 to 30 days but you can personally carry it to FOI and get the job done in one day.

On arrival in FOI you will be given final letter by the FOI in the name of Registrar Revenue specifying that the FOI has attested the document.
You will then visit Registrar Office again for the final endorsement of POE. Here fees are deposited and final paper work is carried out. At this stage you will also need two witnesses who should have their original CNICs. Fees of approximately Rs 1500 to 3000 will be deposited in bank on a challan. Here yours and witnesses photographs will be taken, your CNIC verified from the NADRA link and three of you will be required to sign on a register in the Registrar office. After signature you will be given a receipt and told that you can collect your Power of Attorney after 10 days.

Finally, before transfer you need to reconfirm the POE from Bahria Town head office, in Phase 8, Bahria Town Rawalpindi. Please do not forget to take your and the owner passport size photos along.
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The author, Ch Mehmood is a real estate agent based in Civic Cen, Phase 4, Bahria Town Rawalpindi and can be reached at 03336555444 (bahriatownonline@gmail.com)

The article was initially published in 2014 in another website by the same author