Limitation Period Calculator Pakistan
Limitation Period Calculator Pakistan: pick the type of suit, appeal, revision or execution application, enter the date your limitation period begins, and get the deadline with the exact Article of the Limitation Act, 1908 it relies on.
Limitation Period Calculator Pakistan: How It Works
This free Limitation Period Calculator Pakistan tool applies the periods in the First Schedule to the Limitation Act, 1908, together with the related provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Choose the type of proceeding, enter the date the period begins, and read the deadline together with its legal basis. For appeals, add the certified copy dates to apply Section 12(2). Explore more practical guides for advocates and law students on LegalixHub.com.
Limitation Period Calculator Pakistan: Periods Covered
| Proceeding | Period | Time starts from |
|---|---|---|
| Suit on a contract or agreement (Article 113) | 3 years | Starts from the date fixed for performance, or if none is fixed, from when the plaintiff has notice that performance is refused. |
| Suit for possession of immovable property based on title (Article 142/144) | 12 years | Starts from the date of dispossession, or the date possession of the defendant becomes adverse to the plaintiff. |
| Suit for declaration or permanent injunction, or any suit not provided for elsewhere (Article 120) | 6 years | Starts from the date the right to sue accrues. |
| Suit to recover possession based on prior possession only, Section 9 Specific Relief Act 1877 | 6 months | Starts from the date of dispossession. |
| First appeal to District Judge, other than High Court (Article 152) | 30 days | Starts from the date of the decree or order appealed from. |
| Appeal to High Court from an original decree (Article 156) | 90 days | Starts from the date of the decree appealed from. |
| Civil revision under Section 115 CPC (Article 162A) | 90 days | Starts from the date of the order sought to be revised. |
| Execution application (Article 181 read with Section 48 CPC) | 3 years | Starts from the date of the decree or order, or from the date of the last order on a previous execution application. |
| Suit against Government or a public officer, Section 80 CPC notice | 2 months | Starts from the date the written notice is delivered to the Government or public officer. |
| Appeal against Rent Controller's order, Section 21 SRPO 1979 | 30 days | Starts from the date of the Rent Controller's order. |
| Appeal against a death sentence to the High Court (Article 150) | 7 days | Starts from the date of the sentence. |
| Appeal from Magistrate to Sessions Court (Article 154) | 30 days | Starts from the date of the sentence or order appealed from. |
| Criminal appeal to High Court, other than a death sentence (Article 155) | 60 days | Starts from the date of the sentence or order appealed from. |
| State appeal to High Court, Section 417(1) CrPC (Article 157) | 6 months | Starts from the date of the order of acquittal. |
| Complainant's application for special leave to appeal, Section 417(2) and (3) CrPC | 60 days | Starts from the date of the order of acquittal. |
| Appeal by a person aggrieved against acquittal, Section 417(2A) CrPC | 30 days | Starts from the date of the order of acquittal. |
Common Limitation Mistakes to Avoid
Counting from the wrong date, for example from the day you received the copy instead of the day the decree or order was passed. Assuming Section 5 saves every late filing, when it does not apply to suits and is discretionary for appeals. Using a rent appeal period from one province in another. Treating the 6 month Section 9 Specific Relief Act remedy as if it were the 12 year title suit.
Limitation Calculator FAQs
How is the limitation deadline calculated?
The day from which the period is reckoned is excluded, and the prescribed period is counted from the next day (Section 12(1), Limitation Act 1908). The calculator adds the period to the date you enter.
Is the time taken to get a certified copy excluded?
For appeals, applications for leave to appeal and reviews, Section 12(2) excludes the time needed to obtain a copy of the decree, sentence or order. For the appeal categories above, enter the date you applied for the copy and the date you received it, and the calculator extends the deadline by those days.
Can a late appeal or application still be admitted?
Section 5 allows an appeal or certain applications, including revision and review, to be admitted late if the court is satisfied there was sufficient cause. It is discretionary, it does not apply to suits, and courts are strict about explaining every day of delay.
Why does the execution entry show two periods?
The execution application is governed by Article 181 (3 years), and Section 48 CPC separately bars execution after 6 years from the date of the decree. Check both in your current bare act.
Does the rent appeal entry apply outside Sindh?
No. That entry is based on Section 21 of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance 1979. Other provinces have their own rent laws with their own periods.
Does a temporary injunction have its own limitation period?
No. A temporary injunction under Order 39 CPC is an interim relief inside a pending suit, not a separate suit.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. It applies the standard periods for the listed categories and does not account for exclusions such as Sections 4, 6, 14 and 15, special laws, or case specific facts. Verify every date against the current law before relying on it.
Sources and Further Reading
Check every period against the text of the Limitation Act, 1908 on the official Pakistan Code portal of the Ministry of Law and Justice, and read reported judgments on limitation in the Sindh High Court case law database.
Related Guides on LegalixHub
These guides explain the remedies and procedures where the deadlines in this calculator come up in practice.
If you are handling an appeal against acquittal, read our guides on Section 249A CrPC and Section 265K CrPC, which explain how an acquittal can be obtained during trial, and on discharge, acquittal and release, which explains how these orders differ. For the full sequence from FIR to appeal, see our guide to the criminal trial process in Pakistan.
For civil matters, our guides on the application under Order 39 Rules 1 and 2 CPC and the application under Section 12(2) CPC cover the interim and corrective remedies where dates matter.
Tenants and landlords can read about eviction under Section 15 of the Sindh Rented Premises Ordinance, where the 30-day rent appeal period applies.