5,000 Pakistani passports seized in Saudi Arabia

Minister says passports were obtained through Afghan nationals

ISLAMABAD:

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry told the National Assembly on Tuesday that 5,000 Pakistani passports had been seized in Saudi Arabia from individuals who had allegedly obtained them through Afghan nationals.

He said some of the individuals holding those passports had reportedly been involved in various crimes, including begging.

Addressing the lower house, the state minister said the government was prepared to provide details of every passport seized or scrutinised. He added that reforms had already been introduced to improve the system and reduce the time required for passport issuance.

Chaudhry told the lawmakers that the FIA had arrested more than 100 agents in operations over the past month.

Responding to points of order raised by MNAs, the state minister stated that the government had adopted a customer-focused approach to improve passport services. He said passport security features had also been improved.

The government was working with the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to provide passport services at all its centres, he added. "This will help reduce queues at passport offices and make the process easier for citizens," he said.

Chaudhry noted that criminal cases had also been registered against officials found facilitating passport agents.

Action would be taken against any official or passport office found treating citizens improperly, he said.

He rejected allegations that passports of people from Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa were being deliberately delayed or withheld.

On the issue of identity cards in Balochistan, Chaudhry rejected the impression that identity cards were blocked or cancelled simply because an individual belonged to a particular province or area.