Diplomatic passports purchased for Rs2 million each. PHOTO: FILE
At least 2,000 blue passports were allegedly either sold to influential people at a hefty price ranging between Rs1.5 million and Rs2 million each or issued to undeserving officials between July 2010 and February 2013, the Express Investigation Cell (EIC) has learnt.
Sources said a powerful ‘gang’ comprising of at least one former federal minister, many senior officials of the Ministry of Interior and Directorate General of Immigration and Passports allegedly made billions out of the sale of diplomatic Pakistani passports.
Despite the practice coming into light at least once in 2012, the gang continued with its business. The Federal Investigation Agency and other agencies were unwilling to probe the case since the top officials of the interior division were a party to the illegal practice.
The sale of the blue passports started in 2010 and it continued unabated till February 2013, when a group of three individuals from Sialkot were detained at Lahore airport by immigration authorities for failing to present a no objection certificate. The detained individuals told immigration authorities they were not government officials, but rather they purchased the diplomatic passports for Rs2 million each.
Authorities immediately reported the findings to senior officials in Islamabad and it was finally referred to the FIA for a thorough inquiry which never occurred. However, a change of guard at the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports in March 2013 brought the issue into the limelight once again.
When contacted, Director General Directorate General Immigration and Passports Zulfiqar Cheema said, “At this point in time I can confirm that investigations are underway into the case and we have recommended in writing to the interior division to cancel 2,000 passports issued to private individuals by the [former] PPP regime.”
Cheema has also suspended at least 12 officials of different grades of his directorate in connection with the scam.
Raids at regional offices are also being conducted to check records to evaluate the exact number of the passports issued to undeserving individuals.
It is generally believed that a vast majority that purchased the blue passports has already left Pakistan and the cancellation of their passports is a futile exercise.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2013.
COMMENTS (18)
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I just wish to point out a factual mistake in the news item: the heading, line one and paragraph 4 all state that the passports were "blue" (i.e. official) but the last linke of paragraph 4 state that these were diplomatic. For the record diplomatic passports are burgundy colored (issued to officers serving in diplomatic missions, federal ministers and some MNAs) and the blue ones are official (issued to government officers).
why everybody has to criticize PPP or glorify PTI, its Pakistani people who are corrupt and its true everything in Pakistan has a price.
Another legacy of the PPP. Does the PPP have any honest people?
A news report from not far away in time!
Pakistanis do not sell their mothers for a few thousand dollars, Washington told
A United States prosecutor's comment that Pakistanis would 'sell their mothers for a few thousand dollars' has created much ado between the two countries.
The prosecutor had made the remark during the trial of Ajmal Kansi, who allegedly killed two CIA officials in Washington a couple of years ago.
US Ambassador to Islamabad Thomas Simons was summoned to Pakistan's foreign office and conveyed the official protest. He is believed to have apologised saying that prosecutors appearing in lower courts do not know the niceties and delicacies of diplomatic relations.
Similarly, Pakistan's mission in Washington has also lodged a protest with the US Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickeering.
The Pak government has demanded an apology from the prosecutor.
Funny how even this article which is completely unrelated from PTI and PMLN, people drag in Imran Khan for no apparent reason, in the comments section.
one of my cousin who works in a goverment deptt has just bought a house worth 30 millionn rupees and his salary is only 400000 rupees u do the math
If anyone, say PTI, were truly serious about tackling corruption they would talk about introducing "ethical systems" everywhere instead of finding "honest" people from some magical honest people factory. All you need is proper computerization and SOPs that don't permit a passport to be issued willy-nilly or out of sequence. This sort of thing would be impossible in most advanced countries because they have systems, not because they are all angels.
Same goes for so many other government institutions. They need major technological and institutional reforms. Not personalities.
@Dr. Asad Sadick, Germany: just like any PTI supporter, i m sure u have no idea wht u just said
Rehman Malik, anyone?
New DG passport, Zulfiqar Cheema is a honest person. He has a good track record when he was DIG in Gujranwala. He almost erased "money for ransom" gangs during his time in Gujranwala. Innshallah he will clean this mess.
Everything and anything for sale when PPP rules Pakistan. Shame on you PPP.
All illegally issued Blue Passports should be cancelled immediately and a notification to this effect should be published in the newspapers along with the names of illegal Blue Passport holders and their father's name.
I have learnt through some other newspaper that even Blue Passport was issued to a owner or employee whose main profession was to make good punctured tyers of the vehicles.
FIA should launch a comprehensive investigation of issuance of Blue Passports Scandle and a case should be registered against each and every person and they should be put behind the bars, irrespective of their jobs and status.
The Blue Passpor's Scam have created problems for the genuine Pakistani Diplomats working abroad.
NADRA should also update its website along with the names and pictures of all Blue Paassport holders who have illegally obtained Blue Passports from Pakistan.
there is no punishment in our law. well known criminals, terrorists and corrupt politic-kings are not punished even when its proved beyond any doubt that they are criminals. reason is our judiciary
Pakistan is a country where crooks, thieves, robbers, swindlers and murderers are highly respected and admired people in society. Even the Satan is an ammature in Pakistan.
"Sources said a powerful ‘gang’ comprising of at least one former federal minister,..."
Rehman Malik???
it has been happening since 2010,and came to light back in 2012 itself and it is a startling revelation?
ET, just few days back there was a article stating that Pakistan was one of the most negatively viewed country.question why? don't blame the west for the negative perceptions,the Pakistanis are them selves to blame.And all the articles you keep posting about one or two Pakistanis living in west doing good things,or about some films, songs etc etc hardly matters in reality.Pakistan is corrupt to the core. Nothing bad or negative is being portrayed in the media, in fact, what is being portrayed is too soft on Pakistan compared to the reality.
Green passport or blue...are they worth anything? Maybe under Imran they would be. Any K-P passports available?
Every thing is for sale in Pakistan, you just have to have the money to buy it.