Pakistan Judicial Assistance

Party to Hague Service Convention? Yes
Party to Hague Evidence Convention? No
Party to Hague Apostille Convention? No
Party to Inter-American Convention? No
Service of Process by Mail? Yes

DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE IN A SPECIFIC CASE. QUESTIONS INVOLVING INTERPRETATION OF SPECIFIC FOREIGN LAWS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE APPROPRIATE FOREIGN AUTHORITIES OR FOREIGN COUNSEL.

Embassies and Consulates
U.S. Embassy Islamabad
Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5
Islamabad, Pakistan
Telephone: (92-51) 208-2700
Emergency Telephone: (92-51) 208-0000
Fax: (92-51) 282-2632
ACSIslamabad@state.gov

CONSULATES

U.S. Consulate General Karachi
Plot 3-5 New TPX Area, Mai Kolachi Road
Karachi, Pakistan
Telephone: (92-21) 3527-5000
Emergency Telephone: (92-21) 3527-5000
Fax: (92-21) 3561-2420

U.S. Consulate General Lahore
50, Shahrah-e-Abdul Hameed Bin Badees
(Old Empress Road) near Shimla Hill Rotary
Lahore, Pakistan
Telephone: (92-42) 3603-4000
Emergency Telephone: (92-42) 3603-4000
Fax: (92-42) 3603-4212
acslahore@state.gov

U.S. Consulate General Peshawar
11 Hospital Road
Cantonment, Peshawar
Pakistan
Telephone: (92-91) 526-8800
Emergency Telephone: (92-91) 526-8800
Fax: (92-91) 528-4171
List of Attorneys
U.S. Embassy Islamabad
U.S. Consulate General Karachi
U.S. Consulate General Lahore
U.S. Consulate General Peshawar
Helpful Links
None.
Service of Process

Pakistan is a party to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters.  Complete information on the operation of the Convention, including an interactive online request form are available on the Hague Conference website.  Requests should be completed in duplicate and submitted with two sets of the documents to be served, and translations, directly to Pakistan’s Central Authority for the Hague Service Convention.  The person in the United States executing the request form should be either an attorney or clerk of court.  The applicant should include the titles attorney at law or clerk of court on the identity and address of applicant and signature/stamp fields.  In its Declarations and Reservations on the Hague Service Convention, Pakistan formally objected to service under Article 10, and does not permit service via postal channels.  For additional information see the Hague Conference Service Convention web page and the Hague Conference Practical Handbook on the Operation of the Hague Service Convention.

Service on a Foreign State:  See also our Service Under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) feature and FSIA Checklist for questions about service on a foreign state, agency or instrumentality.

Criminal Matters

Prosecution Requests:  U.S. federal or state prosecutors should also contact the Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, Department of Justice for guidance.

Defense Requests in Criminal Matters:  Criminal defendants or their defense counsel seeking judicial assistance in obtaining evidence or in effecting service of documents abroad in connection with criminal matters may do so via the letters rogatory process.

Obtaining Evidence in Civil and Commercial Matters
None
Taking Voluntary Depositions of Willing Witnesses
Pakistan authorities have advised the U.S. Embassy that voluntary depositions of willing witnesses in civil and commercial matters may be taken before U.S. consular officers in Pakistan pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.  Pakistan is not a party to the Hague Evidence Convention.  Voluntary depositions may be conducted in Pakistan regardless of the nationality of the witness, provided no compulsion is used.  Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys from the United States or Pakistan at the U.S. Embassy or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission.  If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. Embassy directly.
Authentication of Documents
Pakistan is not a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Legalization of Foreign Public Documents.  Documents issued in the United States may be authenticated for use in Pakistan by (a) contacting the U.S. Department of State Authentications Office and (b) then having the seal of the U.S. Department of State authenticated by the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C. Documents issued in U.S. states must first be authenticated by the designated state authority, generally the state Secretary of State.