ISLAMABAD: Afghan nationals have surrendered around 5,000 Pakistani passports in Saudi Arabia after obtaining the documents fraudulently, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry told the National Assembly.
The disclosure comes as Islamabad steps up a nationwide campaign to identify and remove foreigners who acquired Pakistani identity documents through illegal means, including national identity cards and passports.
“We have launched this campaign across the country that we will completely clear our data of these aliens, these foreigners,” Chaudhry said while addressing the National Assembly.
Afghan nationals entered Pakistani family records
According to the minister, some Afghan nationals had managed to obtain Pakistani identity cards and, in certain cases, were inserted into the official family records of Pakistani citizens.
He said such documents were obtained either through fraudulent means or with the alleged involvement of officials working for the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
Chaudhry said criminal proceedings had been initiated against officials suspected of facilitating the practice, while several employees had also been removed from government service.
The government has intensified its scrutiny of identity records in recent months as part of efforts to prevent the misuse of Pakistani documentation by foreign nationals.
In July, the Federal Investigation Agency arrested NADRA officials accused of facilitating the issuance of fraudulent identity documents to Afghan nationals. Investigators were also examining possible links between the alleged network and terrorist elements.
5,000 passports surrendered in Saudi Arabia
The minister said the issue extended beyond Pakistani identity cards to passports being used by Afghan nationals overseas. “Only in Saudi Arabia, the Afghan citizens who made fake passports for Pakistan surrendered 5,000 [of them],” Chaudhry told lawmakers. He warned that the use of fraudulent Pakistani documents abroad could have serious consequences for the country’s citizens.
According to Chaudhry, when individuals holding Pakistani documents are arrested for fraud, terrorism or other crimes, the documents can lead authorities to identify them as Pakistani nationals.
“When a person is caught in fraud, terrorism or other crimes, they consider him Pakistani because the document is Pakistani,” he said. The minister warned that such incidents could damage Pakistan’s international reputation and potentially lead to tighter visa restrictions affecting genuine Pakistani passport holders.
Security concerns drive tougher policy
Pakistan’s latest action comes amid an intensified campaign to repatriate undocumented foreign nationals, particularly Afghans. Islamabad launched its Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan in October 2023, directing undocumented foreigners to leave the country or face deportation. Nearly 2.7 million Afghans have since returned to Afghanistan, according to Pakistani authorities.
The government has repeatedly linked its policy towards Afghan nationals to national security concerns, particularly amid an increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
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Islamabad has held the Afghan Taliban authorities responsible for allowing terrorist groups to operate from Afghan territory and facilitating cross-border attacks.
Government rejects regional discrimination claims
The Minister of State also rejected allegations raised in parliament that Pakistani identity cards and passports were being blocked or restricted on the basis of a person’s province or region, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
He said the government would examine individual complaints and take corrective action where necessary, but maintained that authorities had to ensure the accuracy and integrity of Pakistan’s national identity records. “We have to clear our records,” Chaudhry said.
The government says the verification drive is intended to remove fraudulent entries from national databases, prevent the misuse of Pakistani documents abroad and strengthen the country’s identity and security systems.
