Pakistan Real Estate Land Measurement Guide
Navigating property sizes in Pakistan requires converting between traditional regional metrics like Karam, Sarsahi, Marla, and Kanal, and modern metrics such as Square Feet, Square Meters, and Square Yards (Gazz).
Regional Conversion Reference Table
| Unit | Equivalent in Sq Ft | Used Primary Region |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sarsahi | 30.25 Sq Ft | Punjab Rural / Patwarkhana |
| 1 Marla (Revenue) | 272.25 Sq Ft | Govt Records & Land Registrations |
| 1 Marla (Society) | 225.00 Sq Ft | DHA, Bahria Town, Private Schemes |
| 1 Gazz (Sq Yard) | 9.00 Sq Ft | Karachi, Sindh, Urban Plots |
| 1 Kanal | 4,500 – 5,445 Sq Ft | All Pakistan (20 Marla) |
Understanding the Karam & Local Units
- Karam (Length): A traditional unit of length used in agricultural measuring, equivalent to exactly 5.5 feet.
- Sarsahi / Square Karam (Area): Created by squaring the Karam (5.5 ft × 5.5 ft), totaling 30.25 Square Feet. Exactly 9 Sarsahis make up 1 traditional Revenue Marla (272.25 sq ft).
- Acre (Killa): 1 Killa or Acre in Pakistan equals 8 Kanals or 160 Marlas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Marla size different in DHA compared to Patwarkhana?
Private housing developers like DHA adopted 225 sq ft per Marla to standardize plot grids cleanly (e.g. 10 Marla = 50'×45' = 2250 sq ft). Government tax and land transfer departments continue to use the historical 272.25 sq ft revenue Marla based on the imperial Karam rod.