Rawalpindi: Property registrations in Rawalpindi have slowed following the introduction of a mandatory physical inspection requirement for land transactions, with property dealers claiming the new rule has delayed the registration process.
Under the revised procedure, patwaris and girdawars are required to physically inspect properties, verify boundaries, measure the land, record the adjoining road and issue land records before registrations can be completed.
Notices displayed at registrar offices state that the inspections are mandatory for all properties offered for sale. According to reports, the new requirement has resulted in delays in processing registrations at the district’s registrar offices.
Property dealers said the requirement has also undermined the effectiveness of the recently introduced Green Property Certificate system, which was aimed at streamlining property transactions.
The Property Dealers Union criticised the inspection requirement, arguing that it has added another procedural step to the registration process. It also said internet connectivity issues continue to affect online registrations, while the new rule has increased dependence on manual field inspections.
The union further claimed that transactions that previously took around two days are now taking up to two weeks because inspections by both the patwari and girdawar must be completed before registration.
The dealers also expressed concerns that the new requirement could increase opportunities for delays and discretionary practices, particularly for ordinary citizens and overseas Pakistanis.
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.
