What is a DHA file?
A DHA file is the paper allocation for a future plot in a Defence Housing Authority development. People in Pakistan buy and resell these files for years before the plot is even built — they're one of the most popular real-estate investment vehicles in the country.
The 30-second version
A file is a paper. The plot is the future.
DHA sells paper claims to plots before the land is developed. Those papers — files — get bought and sold in their own market for years.
Land is developed in phases
DHA announces a new phase, allocates plots, and starts development that takes years to finish.
You buy a file, not a plot
Until possession, you hold an allocation paper that represents your claim on a future plot in that phase.
Files trade as investments
Files appreciate as the phase develops. People buy, hold, and resell them — often years before plot possession.
Strong upside, real risks
DHA files have historically multiplied. They also carry transfer, fraud, and timing risk — that's why MFX exists.
Two flavors
Allocation vs Affidavit files
The same plot can be represented by either an allocation file or an affidavit file. The difference matters for transfer simplicity.
Allocation file
An allocation file is the original paper DHA issues to the first allottee of a plot. It's clean, has no transfer history, and is the simplest to move at the DHA office. Allocation files usually trade at a small premium because the transfer process is straightforward.
Affidavit file
An affidavit file is what an allocation file becomes after one or more transfers documented via legal affidavits. The plot itself is identical — only the chain of paperwork differs. Affidavit files trade slightly cheaper because transfer involves additional verification of every prior step.
Both are tradable. Both can be reserved on MFX. Our procurement team verifies the chain of paperwork before listing.
Want a deeper comparison? Read the allocation vs affidavit guide.
Sizes
The standard DHA file sizes
Residential and commercial files come in fixed sizes — knowing them is the first step to comparing prices intelligently.
5 marla
The smallest residential entry point. Lower ticket size, higher relative liquidity.
10 marla
Mid-sized residential plot. Strong demand from owner-occupiers and investors alike.
1 kanal
20 marla. Premium residential plot. The most common size for serious investors.
2 kanal
Estate-sized plot. Lower volume but high upside in mature phases.
4 marla commercial
Smaller commercial plot. Cash-flow focus once shops are developed.
8 marla commercial
Larger commercial plot. Significant upside in high-traffic phases.
Why people buy them
The investment case for DHA files
Appreciation
DHA files in well-known phases have historically multiplied many times over a 5-10 year hold as infrastructure develops and possession nears. Past performance is not future returns, but the pattern is well-known to Pakistani investors.
Liquidity
Files are easier to move than developed plots because no one needs to inspect a building. Transfer is paperwork at the DHA office.
Hedge against inflation and currency
Pakistani real estate has historically held value better than the rupee. For diaspora investors, files are a way to deploy foreign currency into rupee-denominated assets they understand.
Pure paper
No tenants. No maintenance. No utility bills. Just a paper that appreciates.
Common questions
Do I get the actual plot when I buy a file?
Eventually yes — once DHA hands over possession of the phase, your file is converted to a plot title in your name. Until then you hold the file as a transferrable claim.
How long do people typically hold a file?
Most investors hold for 3 to 10 years depending on the phase's development timeline. Some flip in months when prices spike, others hold across decades for generational wealth.
Can I get a loan against a DHA file?
Some Pakistani banks accept allocation files as collateral, but terms vary. MFX does not currently broker loans.
What's the safest way to buy a DHA file?
Buy from a verified source, pay only to a corporate account, get a written agreement, and confirm the file at the DHA office before final transfer. MFX is built around exactly this process.
Where can I see live DHA file prices?
On MFX's browse page, every available file shows asking price, market benchmark from public data, and our investment grade.
Ready to see real DHA files priced fairly?
Browse the MFX inventory — every file is verified, benchmarked, and graded.
Keep reading
Allocation vs Affidavit file
Which one to buy, why prices differ, and how transfer changes between them.
Read more
How DHA file transfer works
Step-by-step from token to ownership, including what happens at the DHA office.
Read more
Avoid DHA file fraud
The most common scams — and how to spot them before you wire any money.
Read more