Aks Shajra and Latha are both cadastral map documents in Pakistan’s revenue record system, but they serve different purposes and exist at different stages of the map chain. The Latha is the cloth copy of the village field map (Shajra Kishtwar) that the Patwari keeps, carries into the field, and updates with boundary changes as mutations are attested. The Aks Shajra is a certified extract or tracing of a specific Khasra number or a specific holding from the village map, prepared on demand for an individual property owner to show the boundaries and dimensions of their particular plot. In short, the Latha is the Patwari’s working map for the whole village, while the Aks Shajra is the owner-specific extract drawn from it for a particular piece of land.
Both documents are part of the geographic component of Balochistan’s land records, which sits alongside the alphanumeric component , the Jamabandi, Girdawari, and mutation registers. Understanding the difference matters practically because a buyer in rural Balochistan needs the Aks Shajra before a sale, not the full Latha, and a boundary dispute requires verification against the Latha to confirm whether the Aks Shajra extract accurately reflects the underlying village map.
The Map Chain in Pakistan’s Cadastral System
To understand both documents properly, it helps to know the full sequence of cadastral maps that Pakistani revenue law recognises. Each of these maps serves a different purpose in the chain from original survey to daily field use.
The Musavi (Mussavie)
The Musavi is the original field map prepared for every revenue village (Mauza) at the time of Settlement. It is drawn on special thick paper with a muslin cloth backing, at a scale of approximately 1 inch to 40 Karam (one Karam equals 5.5 feet). The Musavi shows the position and boundaries of every field (Khasra) in the village, with each Khasra numbered and its dimensions marked. The Musavi is prepared once at Settlement and cannot be altered until the next Settlement. It is kept in the record room at the Tehsil as the permanent master map.
The Shajra Kishtwar
The Shajra Kishtwar is the updated version of the Musavi. Unlike the Musavi, which is fixed at Settlement, the Shajra Kishtwar is updated to reflect changes in field boundaries arising from partition, sale, subdivision, and consolidation as those changes are attested through the mutation process. It is the living working version of the village map. In some documentation it is also called the Masavi after updating.
The Latha (Shajra Parcha)
The Latha, also called Shajra Parcha or Kapra, is the cloth copy of the Shajra Kishtwar. It is drawn on white cotton cloth in black ink for the field boundaries and Khasra numbers, with measurements given in red ink. Because it is on cloth rather than paper, the Latha is durable, foldable, and portable , qualities that matter because the Patwari carries it into the field during Girdawari (crop inspection) and during boundary demarcation exercises. The Latha is the Patwari’s day-to-day operational map. It is kept by the Patwari of the village and is updated with temporal changes like splitting or merging of land parcels as mutations are sanctioned. In some older Balochistan districts the Latha is also referred to simply as the cloth map or Shajra cloth.
The Momi (Wax Copy)
A wax copy of the Shajra Kishtwar called the Momi is kept at the Tehsil level. Changes attested in mutations are entered onto the Momi from the Parat Sarkar (one copy of the mutation register). The Momi is a reference copy at the Tehsil while the Latha at the Patwarkhana is the fieldwork copy.
The Aks Shajra
The Aks Shajra is a certified individual extract drawn from the Shajra Kishtwar or the Latha. The word Aks in Urdu means image or copy, and Aks Shajra therefore means the image or copy of the map for a specific piece of land. It shows the specific Khasra number of the plot being transacted, its dimensions, area, and its four surrounding boundaries , who or what adjoins it on each side. The Aks Shajra is prepared on drawing paper on the demand of a property owner or a buyer, specifically for transaction or verification purposes.
The Core Difference
The Latha and Aks Shajra differ in scope, purpose, medium, and legal function.
The Latha covers the entire village. It is a comprehensive map of every Khasra in the Mauza. It is on cloth, maintained and updated by the Patwari, and is a revenue record of the state, not a document issued to an individual. No individual receives the Latha itself. The Patwari uses it and is custodian of it.
The Aks Shajra covers a single plot or a defined group of Khasra numbers within the village belonging to one owner. It is prepared on drawing paper specifically for an individual property owner’s use. It shows that owner’s fields with Khasra numbers marked, boundaries specified, and dimensions given. It is issued by the Patwari on payment of a prescribed fee, on the owner’s request. It is the document the owner takes to a buyer, a bank, or a court to show the physical layout of the specific land being transacted.
In practical terms for a property transaction in rural Balochistan, the Aks Shajra is the map document you need alongside the Fard Malkiat (ownership certificate). The Fard Malkiat establishes who owns how much. The Aks Shajra shows where that land physically sits, what its shape is, and who adjoins it on each side. Together they form the complete picture a buyer or court needs to identify and verify a specific piece of land.
How Aks Shajra Is Used in Rural Balochistan
The Aks Shajra is the map document that travels with a property transaction from the Patwarkhana to the Sub-Registrar’s office and into any court or bank that needs to verify the physical extent of the land. Its role is to give a specific piece of land a precise visual identity that the alphanumeric record alone cannot provide. Below are the main contexts in which it is used.
In rural Balochistan property transactions, the Aks Shajra is a standard pre-transaction document. Before any sale deed is executed, a prudent buyer requests the current Aks Shajra from the seller to verify that the physical boundaries of the land match what is described in the sale deed and in the Fard. The Aks Shajra is also used in inheritance mutations to identify which specific Khasra numbers are being distributed among heirs. In court cases involving boundary disputes or encroachment claims, the Aks Shajra is produced as evidence showing the recorded map position of the disputed field.
The Aks Shajra is primarily needed in dealings concerning agricultural land in rural areas, where Khasra-based identification is the operative system. In urban Quetta where survey numbers and plot numbers are used instead of Khasra numbers, the Aks Shajra concept applies differently , the equivalent is a map certified by the Quetta Development Authority or the relevant urban authority showing the plot boundaries.
For the Aks Shajra to be valid for alienation (sale, gift, or mortgage) purposes in Balochistan, it must be prepared and certified by the Patwari, attested by the Kanungo (Qanungo), and authenticated for the specific purpose. The Jammu and Kashmir revenue order framework , which shares the same British-era revenue law foundation as Pakistan’s Land Revenue Act 1967 , specifies that where an Aks Latha or Masavi extract is needed for alienation purposes, it must be recorded and attested by the Patwari and Girdawar Kanungo before it can be used. In Balochistan’s rural Tehsils, the same principle applies: the Aks Shajra prepared for a sale or mortgage must carry the Patwari’s signature and the Kanungo’s attestation to be accepted.
How Latha Is Used in Rural Balochistan
The Latha itself is not issued to private individuals. It is a government revenue record in the Patwari’s custody. Its practical uses are internal to the revenue system. The Patwari carries the Latha during Girdawari inspections to verify which fields are under cultivation and to update crop records against the correct Khasra numbers. During boundary disputes and demarcation proceedings (Nishandehi), the Patwari brings the Latha to the field to verify the original recorded boundaries against what exists on the ground. During partition proceedings, the Patwari consults the Latha to determine how the total holding can be physically divided to match the ownership shares being allocated in the partition mutation.
When a discrepancy is found between the Aks Shajra that was issued to an owner and what the Latha shows for that Khasra, the Latha takes precedence as it is the direct field copy of the Shajra Kishtwar. The Aks Shajra is derived from the Latha; if the Latha was correct at the time the Aks Shajra was drawn, they should match. If they do not match, it typically means either the Latha was updated after the Aks Shajra was issued (due to a subsequent mutation), or there was an error in the Aks Shajra preparation.
What Happens in a Boundary Dispute
If a boundary dispute arises in rural Balochistan , a common occurrence in areas where field boundaries shift due to cultivation encroachment, water channel movement, or informal partition , both the Latha and the Aks Shajra become relevant.
The aggrieved party approaches the Tehsildar, who orders the Patwari and Kanungo to conduct a Nishandehi (demarcation) on the ground using the Latha as the reference. The Patwari brings the Latha to the site and identifies the recorded boundary points using the Khasra dimensions from the map. Where the actual field boundary on the ground is found to differ from the Latha, the Tehsildar can order a correction of the field boundary (returning the ground to what the record shows) or, if the discrepancy arose from a valid but unrecorded partition, can initiate the appropriate mutation. Parties who hold an Aks Shajra that was prepared before any subsequent mutation cannot rely on it to claim boundaries that have since been legally changed.
Aks Latha vs Aks Shajra
A related term that appears in revenue documents is Aks Latha, meaning the image or copy made from the Latha rather than from the Shajra Kishtwar. In some Tehsils, particularly in older Balochistan districts where the Musavi and Shajra Kishtwar may not be easily accessible, the Patwari prepares the individual owner’s map extract directly from the Latha. This is functionally equivalent to the Aks Shajra for most practical purposes. The distinction between Aks Latha and Aks Shajra is essentially about which source document the extract was drawn from , the cloth copy (Latha) or the paper Shajra Kishtwar , but the resulting document in the owner’s hands serves the same function.
In Pakistani revenue law practice, Aks Shajra is the more commonly used term for the individual boundary map extract regardless of whether the source was the paper Shajra or the cloth Latha. The what are boundary marks guide covers how these map records connect to physical demarcation on the ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Latha in simple terms?
The Latha is the Patwari’s cloth map of the entire village. It shows every field (Khasra) in the Mauza with its number, dimensions, and boundaries. It is on white cotton cloth so the Patwari can carry it into the field during inspections and boundary demarcation work. It is a government revenue record , no individual receives the Latha itself.
What is the Aks Shajra in simple terms?
The Aks Shajra is a certified copy of the map for a specific piece of land, prepared on demand for the property owner. It shows the particular Khasra number or group of Khasra numbers belonging to that owner, with the field dimensions, area, and all four surrounding boundaries identified. It is the map document used in property sales, inheritance, court proceedings, and bank applications.
Which document do I need before buying land in rural Balochistan?
You need the Aks Shajra for the specific Khasra numbers you are buying, along with the Fard Malkiat confirming the seller’s ownership. The Aks Shajra shows you where the land sits physically, its shape, dimensions, and what adjoins it. The Fard Malkiat confirms the registered ownership. Together they allow a buyer to verify that the physical land matches the revenue record before committing to the transaction.
Who prepares the Aks Shajra and where do I get it?
The Patwari of the relevant Patwar Circle prepares the Aks Shajra from the Latha or Shajra Kishtwar for the Mauza. You request it at the Patwarkhana, provide the Khasra number or Khewat number, pay the prescribed fee, and the Patwari prepares and certifies the extract. For use in a sale or other alienation, it also requires Kanungo attestation.
Can the Latha be used in court as evidence?
The Latha is a government revenue record and can be produced in court, usually through the revenue officer who is its custodian. The Patwari may be summoned with the Latha to demonstrate the recorded field boundaries in a boundary dispute. The Aks Shajra, being a certified extract from the Latha, is the form in which the map evidence typically reaches the parties directly.