Khewat & Khasra Number Decoder

Understanding Pakistan's Land Record Numbering System

Pakistan's land record system, maintained by the Patwari (revenue officer) for each village or mauza, uses a hierarchical numbering system to identify every piece of land uniquely. If you own land, inherit property, or are buying a plot in Pakistan, understanding these numbers — Khasra number, Khewat number, Khatuni, and Murabba — is essential. This guide explains the entire system so you can read your Fard (land record certificate) with confidence.

What is a Khasra Number?

A Khasra number(خسرہ نمبر) is the most fundamental identifier in Pakistan's land revenue system. It is a unique number assigned to each individual field or plot of land within a village (mauza). Think of it as the "plot number" for agricultural and rural land. Every piece of land in Pakistan has a Khasra number, and this number appears on your Fard-e-Malikanat, Jamabandi, and all official revenue documents. When you buy land, the Khasra number is what gets transferred to your name through the mutation (Intiqal) process. The Khasra number is typically 2-4 digits long and is unique within a mauza. For example, Khasra number 1234 refers to a specific field in that village. The area of each Khasra varies — it could be a few Marlas for a small plot or several Killas (acres) for agricultural land. The exact area is recorded on the Fard.

What is a Khewat Number?

A Khewat number (کھوت نمبر) is the ownership account number. It links together all Khasra numbers that belong to the same owner or group of owners within a mauza. If you own multiple fields in the same village, they will all share the same Khewat number. The Khewat number is like a folder that contains all your land holdings in that mauza. When land is inherited, the Khewat number may be split into sub-numbers (Khewat number with a suffix) to reflect the shares of each heir. The Khewat number is critical for establishing ownership — it tells the Patwari and the revenue department who owns what. On your Fard, you will see the Khewat number at the top, followed by the list of Khasra numbers that fall under that Khewat.

What is Khatuni (Khatoni)?

Khatuni(خطاونی), also spelled Khatoni, is the cultivation detail record within a Khewat. While the Khewat shows who owns the land, the Khatuni shows who actually cultivates it and what their share is. This distinction is important in Pakistan's agricultural land system because the owner and the cultivator may be different people. The Khatuni entry lists: the owner's name, the cultivator's name, the share of each person, and the area they cultivate. In some records, the Khatuni number is a sub-entry within the Khewat. For example, Khewat number 56 may have Khatuni numbers 1, 2, and 3, each representing a different cultivation arrangement or a different owner's share. Understanding your Khatuni is essential if you are a tenant farmer, a sharecropper, or if your land is being cultivated by someone else.

What is a Murabba Number?

A Murabba number(مربع نمبر) refers to a block of land measuring exactly 25 acres. The word "Murabba" comes from the Arabic word for "square" (مربع). In the Patwari system, each mauza (village) is divided into Murabbas, each Murabba is divided into Killas (acres), and each Killa is divided into Khasras. The Murabba number helps locate land geographically within a mauza. Not all land records include the Murabba number — it is more commonly used in the canal colony areas of Punjab (like Faisalabad, Sahiwal, and Sargodha divisions) where land was systematically divided during British rule. If your Fard shows a Murabba number, it means your land is in one of these systematically surveyed areas. The Murabba grid system makes it easier to find land on the ground because each Murabba is a known physical area.

The Hierarchy: How These Numbers Relate

The four numbers form a hierarchy that identifies land at different levels:

How to Find These Numbers on Your Fard

Your Fard-e-Malikanat (also called Fard Malkiat or Jamabandi) is the official land record certificate issued by the Patwari or available through PLRA (Punjab Land Records Authority). Here is how to read the numbers on your Fard:

• Khewat number is usually at the top of the Fard, labeled as "Khewat No." or "کھوت نمبر"
• Khasra numbers are listed in a column, often labeled "Khasra No." or "خسرہ نمبر" — each row is a different field
• Khatuni entries are shown within each Khewat, listing the cultivator names and shares
• Murabba number may appear at the top or in a separate column, labeled "Murabba No." or "مربع نمبر"
• The area of each Khasra is shown in Kanal-Marla-Sarsai or in Acres

You can obtain your Fard online from the PLRA website (plra.punjab.gov.pk) by entering your mauza name and Khasra number. Alternatively, visit your local Patwari office or Tehsildar's office for a certified copy.

Why Understanding Land Record Numbers Matters

Whether you are buying land, inheriting property, or resolving a boundary dispute, understanding your land record number is the first step. Common scenarios where this knowledge is essential:

• Buying land: Verify the Khasra number on the sale deed matches the Fard. Check the Khewat number to confirm the seller actually owns the land.
• Inheritance (Wirasat): When a landowner dies, the Khewat number is split among heirs. Each heir gets a sub-number under the same Khewat.
• Mutation (Intiqal): When land is transferred, the Patwari updates the Khasra and Khewat records. The new owner's name appears in the Khatuni.
• Dispute resolution: If there is a boundary dispute, the Khasra number and Murabba number help locate the exact field on the ground and on the revenue map (Aks-Shajra).
• Loan against land: Banks require your Khewat and Khasra numbers to verify ownership before approving agricultural loans.

The Role of the Patwari in Land Records

The Patwari (پٹواری) is the village-level revenue officer responsible for maintaining land records. Each Patwari is assigned a circle (Halka) covering several mauzas. The Patwari keeps the following records:

• Jamabandi: The master register showing all Khewat, Khasra, and Khatuni entries for each mauza
• Fard-e-Malikanat: Individual ownership certificates issued to landowners
• Aks-Shajra: The revenue map showing the physical location of each Khasra
• Misl Haqiyat: The detailed record of rights showing ownership history

With the digitization of land records through PLRA, many of these records are now available online. However, the Patwari remains the primary point of contact for land record verification in rural areas.

PLRA and Digital Land Records

The Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) has digitized over 50 million land records across Punjab. Through the PLRA portal (plra.punjab.gov.pk), you can:

• View and download your Fard-e-Malikanat online
• Check the Khewat and Khasra details for any property
• Track the status of mutation (Intiqal) applications
• Verify ownership before buying property
• Get certified copies of land records

Other provinces have similar systems: Sindh has the Sindh Land Records Authority (SLRA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the KP Land Records Authority, and Balochistan is in the process of digitization. The numbering system (Khasra, Khewat, Khatuni) is consistent across all provinces with minor regional variations.

See also: Land Records Guide for understanding Fard, Jamabandi, and mutation procedures, and Aks-Shajra Grid Tool for viewing revenue maps, Land Measurement on Map for measuring your plot on satellite imagery, and Land Area Converter for converting between Kanal, Marla, and Acres.