Pakistani passport stays invalid for Israel

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior turned into a forum of revelations and clarifications on Thursday - from a fresh explanation over false propaganda surrounding the new Pakistani passport design to several senators disclosing that they had been defrauded by online scammers.

The committee meeting, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem, discussed various issues, including social media claims that Pakistan had removed the long-standing line from the passport declaring it 'valid for all countries except Israel'.

The Director General of Passports clarified that no such alteration had been made, stating that the new design was introduced solely to enhance security features while retaining all existing text, including the clause regarding Israel.

The discussion followed widespread propaganda pushed by an Indian news outlet, claiming that Pakistan had omitted the restriction related to Israel. The government had already issued a formal denial, reaffirming that the clause remains clearly printed on the travel document.

The DG told the committee that the redesign aimed to strengthen document integrity, not alter its political or diplomatic stance. Satisfied with the clarification, the members commended the DG for resolving passport-related issues faced by senators.

Meanwhile, the meeting took a serious turn when several senators revealed that they themselves had been targeted by online fraudsters. The issue surfaced during the discussion on the sale of citizens' data, and the performance of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

Senators Bilal Mandokhail, Saifullah Abro, Dilawar Khan and Falak Naz Chitrali said they had each fallen victim to financial scams. Senator Faisal Saleem also shared that he had received a fraudulent call from hackers.

The senators said the fraudsters had tricked them by using personal data, posing as officials, and demanding sums between Rs500,000 and Rs550,000. Senator Chitrali said she had transferred nearly Rs500,000 to a scammer claiming to represent a counselling centre.

She added that the fraudster had detailed information about her family and children and that, despite providing the suspect's photo and data to the NCCIA, no arrest had yet been made. Senator Dilawar said he had lost Rs850,000, while Senators Mandokhail and Abro added that hackers had stolen large sums after convincing them of their authenticity over the telephone. They voiced frustration that their complaints to the NCCIA had produced no results.

The chair criticised the absence of the Sindh and Balochistan police chiefs, who had been summoned to brief the committee on various matters, including the unsolved killings of Senator Abro's brother and nephew. He warned that if they failed to attend the next session, the committee would take its own decision on the matter.

NCCIA DG Khurram Ali briefed the committee that several FIRs had been registered concerning data leaks and one suspect had been arrested. He added that the agency was auditing telecom companies and expected to induct new personnel within three months to improve operational efficiency.

He said the NCCIA would take about six months to achieve full functionality, with recruitment of new staff prioritised to meet the department's evolving needs, while the roles of existing officials were under review.