Guide
The heirs cannot agree
on the shares
Once the heirs are named, the estate still has to be divided. Land has to be split or sold, a house has to go to someone, money has to be paid out. When the heirs live in different countries, and one of them will not sign, this is where it stops. This page is about getting it moving again.
Where this applies This page covers property in Pakistan left by someone who has died. What your religion says about shares is a separate thing. The court applies the law, and an advocate explains what that means in your case.
What this is about
The paper that names the heirs is one step; see the page on the succession certificate. Dividing what was left is the next. For land it is called partition: the record is changed so that each heir holds their own share, or the land is sold and the money divided.
It stops when one heir is missing, will not sign, or is living on the land and not sharing. Then the division goes to a court, and a court can order it without that heir’s consent.
What has to be in place
What has to be in place.
The paper that names the heirs and their shares.
A record of what the estate consists of: land, houses, accounts.
An advocate in the place where the property is, with a power of attorney from you.
Note Your advocate confirms which of these apply to your case.
The documents you will be asked for
The papers usually asked for.
- The succession certificate or letter of administration.
- The record of the land or the house, in the deceased’s name.
- Identity documents of the heirs, and the family record that shows the relationship.
- Your power of attorney.
How an advocate helps from where you are
What an advocate does.
- Reads the record and tells you what the estate actually holds today.
- Tries to get the heirs to agree, and writes the agreement so it holds.
- Where they do not agree, files for partition and runs the case.
- Has the record changed into the heirs’ names once it is decided.
What to ask before you agree
- What does the record say the estate holds today?
- Will you try for an agreement first, and how long before you file for partition?
- Have you run a partition case for heirs living abroad?
- What do you need from me, and by when?
- What is your fee, and what is not included in it?
More in Inheritance
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Also relevant
Words you will meet
- partition
- Splitting an estate between heirs, by agreement or by court order.
- wirasat
- The everyday word for inheritance.
- heir
- A person who inherits.
Written
11 September 2026
Pakistan.