Property, rent and money
Bounced cheque
You can prepare on your own, but a lawyer will improve your chances.
If a cheque given to repay a loan or settle a liability is dishonestly bounced, it is an offence and an FIR can be registered. Courts also stress that a criminal case is not a debt collection tool: to get your money back, a civil recovery suit on the cheque is often the stronger route. A lawyer can advise which to use, or both.
The law
Pakistan Penal Code, section 489-F; Civil Procedure Code, Order XXXVII (summary recovery suit)
What to do
- 1
Get the bank's return memo that states why the cheque bounced.
- 2
Keep the original cheque safe. Do not hand it to anyone without a receipt.
- 3
Send a written demand for payment and keep proof it was delivered.
- 4
See a lawyer about an FIR, a recovery suit, or both. A recovery suit on a cheque should be filed within three years.
Keep these ready
- Original cheque
- Bank return memo
- Proof of the loan or deal (agreement, chats, transfers)
- Your written demand and delivery receipt
General information, not legal advice. Checked against public sources in 2026. Laws and procedures change, and local practice differs between districts.