Punjab to replace property fard with digital green certificate

The Punjab government has decided to discontinue the issuance of traditional property fard across most of the province from July 1 and replace it with a digital "green certificate" for land transactions.

The Board of Revenue Punjab has issued an official notification suspending the issuance of fard and implementing the green certificate as the primary document for verification of land ownership and property transactions.

Under the new policy, the sale and purchase of property in most districts of Punjab will be carried out on the basis of the green certificate. The notification bans the issuance of traditional fard across the province, although Sahiwal, Lodhran and Hafizabad have initially been exempted from the new system.

According to the notification, the green certificate will become a mandatory document for property transactions in all districts except the three exempted districts. The certificate will be issued under the Punjab Land Records Authority Management of Records Regulations 2025.

Officials said the move is aimed at making the land records system more transparent, secure and digitally integrated. The green certificate is expected to serve as an authenticated digital record of land ownership and property details.

The new system has been designed to reduce the risk of record tampering, duplicate entries and document alterations while improving the verification process for land transactions.

The Punjab Land Records Authority has accelerated efforts to modernise land records as part of broader digital reforms in the property sector. Authorities say the transition to the green certificate system is expected to strengthen legal protection, improve transparency and make property transactions more convenient for the public.

According to the Board of Revenue, the green certificate will provide verified digital confirmation of ownership and land records as the province moves towards a fully modernised land management system.