In a startling revelation, it has been exposed that a significant number of Afghan citizens were issued Pakistani passports. Saudi Arabia, as a result, has seized 12,000 passports from Afghan nationals. A central figure of the fraudulent passport issuance group has been apprehended in Lahore. Both the Passport Directorate’s Director, Mustafa Qazi, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have initiated investigations into the matter.
Afghan citizens were provided with Pakistani passports based on counterfeit identity cards. The Passport and Immigration authorities have been alerted to their responsibilities, and a thorough scrutiny of the case is underway. Authorities are conducting a meticulous cross-check of rare data to uncover the extent of the falsified passport issuance.
The central suspect of the fraudulent passport issuance operation has been arrested in Lahore. Additionally, two former employees of the Passport Directorate have also been detained. This scandal has triggered significant action, particularly as it involves Saudi Arabia, which has diplomatic ties with Pakistan. The Pakistani Embassy in Saudi Arabia has been contacted regarding the individuals involved, and both the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are closely monitoring the situation.
The FIA has conducted operations in Lahore, leading to the arrest of a person named Omar Javaid. Moreover, two individuals from the Passport Directorate have also been apprehended. However, a crucial detail has emerged in this case. Officials from the Passport Directorate and the Ministry of Interior have stated that the passport data is not computerized; it is a rare case where passport data is not centralized. In contrast, the data of the rare identity card is computerized. This anomaly raises questions about the efficiency of the passport issuance system and the need for modernization and integration of databases.
As investigations unfold, it is clear that this scandal poses significant challenges to the integrity of Pakistan’s passport issuance process. The collaboration between different departments and their swift action will be crucial in resolving this issue and preventing such fraudulent activities in the future. Authorities are now under immense pressure to streamline their processes, enhance their digital infrastructure, and ensure that the security of the passport issuance system is robust to maintain the country’s international credibility.
