Traditional units of measurement in Pakistan
South Asia · 9 documented units · reviewed 2026-07-31
Quick answer
Pakistani land records use kanal (505.86 m²) and marla (25.29 m²) from the colonial survey settlement; gold is quoted in tola (11.66375 g).
How measurement works in Pakistan
Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa land records descend directly from the British survey settlement, which fixed 1 acre = 8 kanal and 1 kanal = 20 marla. Because the acre is exactly defined, kanal and marla are exact too — unusual among traditional units.
Housing societies in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad still advertise plots in marla and kanal rather than square feet, and mortgage and tax documents follow suit.
Sindh and Balochistan historically used jerib for larger holdings, a Persian-derived unit whose value varies by locality, which makes it far less safe to convert than kanal.
area units of Pakistan
| Unit | Value in SI | Typical use | Convert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanal | 1 Kanal = 505.857 square metre | agriculture, surveying | Kanal → square metresIn-depth guide |
| Marla | 1 Marla = 25.2929 square metre | surveying | Marla → square metresIn-depth guide |
| Jerib | 1 Jerib = 2,000 square metre | agriculture | Jerib → square metresIn-depth guide |
mass units of Pakistan
| Unit | Value in SI | Typical use | Convert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tola | 1 Tola = 0.01166375 kilogram | jewellery, precious-metals | Tola → kilogramsIn-depth guide |
| Seer | 1 Seer = 0.9331 kilogram | trade, general | Seer → kilogramsIn-depth guide |
| Maund | 1 Maund = 37.3242 kilogram | trade, agriculture | Maund → kilogramsIn-depth guide |
| Masha | 1 Masha = 0.00097198 kilogram | jewellery | Masha → kilogramsIn-depth guide |
| Ratti | 1 Ratti = 0.0001215 kilogram | jewellery | Ratti → kilogramsIn-depth guide |
length units of Pakistan
| Unit | Value in SI | Typical use | Convert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaz (Yard) | 1 Gaz (Yard) = 0.9144 metre | textiles, surveying | Gaz (Yard) → metresIn-depth guide |
Before you convert
- Marla was 272.25 ft² in the standard settlement but 225 ft² in parts of Lahore under older municipal practice — check the society schedule.
- Jerib is not a fixed area across Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran; treat any single figure as an estimate.
Sources
- Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1967
- Board of Revenue, Punjab — settlement standards
See our methodology and data provenance pages, or review published corrections.