Islamabad, Zubair kasuri: In a stunning revelation, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Pakistan has alerted the Pakistani government to a large-scale passport forgery scheme, involving over 138 individuals from Afghanistan and Pakistan who entered Saudi Arabia using fake and tampered passports.
According to sources, these individuals obtained passports from Pakistan through illegal means, which were later discovered to be counterfeit. The Saudi authorities have shared detailed information and documents related to these individuals with the Pakistani government.
Preliminary investigations have uncovered a complex web of corruption, revealing that officials from the Passport and Immigration Department and NADRA colluded to create fake passports, receiving bribes worth millions of rupees in the process.
The Ministry of Interior has established a high-level Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the matter, with work already underway. In a with Letter No. INT-001/2024, the Ministry of Interior has directed the JIT to thoroughly investigate the matter and take necessary action against those involved.
“This is a serious issue that requires immediate attention,” said a government official. “We will take swift action against those involved and ensure measures are taken to prevent such incidents in the future.”
