Proof of contents of documents:

The contents of documents may be proved either by primary or by secondary evidence.               

Primary evidence:

"Primary evidence" means the document itself produced for the inspection of the Court.  
Explanation 1: Where a document is executed in several parts, each part is primary evidence of the document.  Where a document is executed in counterpart, each counterpart being executed by one or some of the parties only, counterpart is primary evidence as against the parties executing it.  
Explanation 2: Where a number of documents are all made by one uniform process, as in the case of printing, Lithography or photography, each is primary evidence of the contents of the rest; but where they are all copies of a common original they are not primary evidence of the contents of the original  
 

Illustration: 

A person is shown to have been in possession of a number of placards, all printed at one time from one original. Any one of the placards is primary evidence of the contents of any other, but no one of them is primary evidence of the contents of the original.  

Secondary evidence:  "Secondary evidence means and includes—  
(1) certified copies given under the provisions hereinafter contained ; 
(2) copies made from the original by mechanical process which is themselves insure the accuracy of the copy, and copies compared with such copies ;  
(3) copies made from or compared with the original.  
(4) counterparts of documents as against the parties who did not execute them ;  
(5) oral accounts of the contents of a document given by some person who has himself seen it.  

Illustrations:

(a) A photograph of an original is secondary evidence of its contents though the two have not been compared if it is proved that the thing photographed was the original.  
(b) A copy, compared with a copy of a letter made by a copying machine is secondary evidence of the contents of the letter, if it is shown that the copy made by the copying machine was made from the original.
(c) A copy transcribed from a copy, but afterwards compared with the original, is secondary evidence; but the copy not so compared is not secondary evidence of the original, although the copy from which it was transcribed was compared with the original.  
(d) Neither an oral account of a copy compared with the original, nor  an oral account of a photograph or machine-copy of the original, is secondary evidence of the original.  

Proof of documents by primary evidence:

Documents must be proved by primary evidence except in the cases hereinafter mentioned.  

Cases in which secondary evidence relating to documents may be given:

Secondary evidence may be given of the existence, condition or contents of a document in the following cases: —  
(a) when the original is shown or appears to be in the possession or power of the person against whom the document is sought to be proved, or of any person out of reach of, or not subject to, the process of the Court, or of any person legally bound to produce it, and when after the notice mentioned in Article 77 such person does not produce it;  
(b) when the existence, condition or contents of the original have been proved to be admitted in writing by the person against whom it is proved or by his representative-ininterest;  
(c) when the original has been destroyed or lost, or when the party offering evidence of its contents cannot, for any other reason not arising from his own default or neglect, produce it in reasonable time ; 
(d) when, due to the volume or bulk of the original, copies thereof have been made by means of microfilming or other modern devices ;  
(e) when the original is of such a nature as not to be easily movable ;  
(f) when the original is public document within the meaning of Article 85 ;  
(g) when the original is a document of which a certified copy is permitted by this Order, or by any other law in force in Pakistan, to be given in evidence ;  
(h) when the originals consist of numerous accounts or other documents which cannot conveniently be examined in Court, and the fact to be proved is the general result of the whole collection ;  
(i) when an original document forming part of a judicial record is not available and only a certified copy thereof is available, certified copy of that certified copy shall also be admissible as a secondary evidence.  
In cases (a), (c), (d) and (e), any secondary evidence of the contents of the document is admissible.  
In case (b), the written admission is admissible.  
In case (f) or (g), certified copy of the document, but no other kind of secondary evidence, is admissible.  
In case (h), evidence may be given as to the general result of the documents by any person who has examined them and who is skilled in the examination of such document.  

Rules as to notice to produce:

Secondary evidence of the contents of the documents referred to in Article 76, paragraph (a), shall not be given unless the party proposing to give such secondary evidence has previously given to the party in whose possession or power the document is, or to his advocate, such notice to produce it as is prescribed by Law and, if no notice is prescribed by law, then such notice as the Court considers reasonable under the circumstances of the case:  
Provided that such notice shall not be required in order to render secondary evidence admissible in any of the following cases, or in any other ease in which the Court thinks fit to dispense with it: —  
(1) when the document to be proved is itself a notice ;  
(2) when, from the nature of the case, the adverse party must know that he will be required to produce it;  
(3) when it appears or is proved that the adverse party has obtained possession of the original by fraud or force ;  
(4) when the adverse party or his agent has the original in Court ;  
(5) when the adverse party or his agent has admitted the loss of the document ;  
(6) when the person in possession of the document is out of reach of, or not subject to, the process of the Court.  

Proof of signature and handwriting of person alleged to have signed or written document produced:

If a document is alleged to be signed or to have been written wholly or in part by any person, the signature or the handwriting of so much of the document as is alleged to be in that person's handwriting must be proved to be in his handwriting.  
 

Proof of execution of document required by law to be attested:

If a document is required by law to be attested, it shall not be used as evidence until two attesting witnesses ot least have been called for the purpose of proving its execution, if there be two attesting witnesses alive, and subject to the process of the Court and capable of given Evidence.  
Provided that it shall not be necessary to call an attesting witness in proof of the execution of any document, not being a will, which has been registered in accordance with the provisions of the Registration Act, 1908 (XVI of 1908), unless its execution by the person by whom it purports to have been executed is specifically denied.  

Proof where no attesting witness found:

If no such attesting witness can be found, it must be proved that the witnesses have either died or cannot be found and that the document was executed by the person who purports to have done so.  

Admission of execution by party to attested document:

The admission of a party to an attested document of its execution by himself shall be sufficient proof of its execution as against him, though it be a document required by law to be attested.  

Proof when attesting witness denies the execution:

If the attesting witness denies or does not, recollect the execution of the document, its execution may be proved by other evidence.  

Proof of document not required by law to be attested:

An attested document not required by law to be attested may be proved as if it was unattested.  

Comparison of signature, writing or seal with others admitted or proved:

(1) In order to ascertain whether a signature, writing or seal is that of the person by whom it purports to have been written or made any signature writing or seal admitted or proved to the satisfaction of the Court to have been written or made by that person may be 
compared with the one which is to be proved, although that signature, writing or seal has not been produced or proved for any other purpose.  
(2) The Court may direct any person present in Court to write any words or figures for the purpose of enabling the Court to compare the words or figures so written with any words or figures alleged to have been written by such person.  
(3) This Article applies also, with any necessary modifications, to finger-impressions.