Senate Committee Uncovers Fake Pakistani Passports Issued to Afghan Nationals

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Interior and Narcotics was briefed on Thursday regarding the detection of 1,296 individuals carrying counterfeit Pakistani passports by Saudi Arabian authorities. These individuals were subsequently identified as Afghan citizens.

Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, presiding over the session at Parliament House, instructed the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to present a comprehensive progress report during the committee’s subsequent meeting. This report should detail the measures implemented against officials implicated in the fraudulent issuance of documents and the compromise of the national database.

The Senate standing committee convened under the leadership of Senator Rehman.

During the session, Senator Irfan Siddiqui inquired about the number of passports issued over the past five years to individuals who were not Pakistani citizens. Mustafa Jamal Qazi, Director General of Passports, stated that 1,296 individuals with fraudulent Pakistani passports were later identified as Afghan nationals.

“In addition to this, 45 further cases have emerged,” he stated. The DG Passports indicated that these individuals have reportedly been deported back to Afghanistan. “Among those penalized for producing fake passports, 35 are assistant directors,” he added.

Furthermore, it was revealed that thousands of illegitimate Pakistani passports had been created, with a significant number originating from KP and Gujranwala, Gujarat. “We lack data for approximately 4,500 passports, while 3,000 passports were fabricated through photo-swapping, and 6,000 were created by breaching Nadra’s database. These 12,000 holders of fraudulent passports are not currently within Pakistan.”

The committee also addressed proposed revisions to the expiration protocols for CNICs. Nadra’s Chief Operating Officer clarified that, in accordance with Nadra regulations, all CNICs must be renewed every ten years.

During the meeting, the chairman highlighted concerns regarding the inclusion of unrelated persons in the family lineage of legitimate CNIC holders.

To address such instances of fraud, Nadra has implemented a policy mandating the physical verification of an applicant’s blood relatives, coupled with biometric data capture of the family member.