- Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan alleges ‘billions of rupees’ lost daily, saying overseas Pakistanis forced to wait nights or pay bribes for attestation
- Senate panel decides to formally raise matter with FO, calls for digitising attestation process and streamline procedures
ISLAMABAD: Allegations of massive corruption at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in the attestation of documents, including educational and marriage certificates, have come under scrutiny, prompting the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs to decide to raise the matter with the Foreign Office (FO).
Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan on Friday claimed that “billions of rupees” were being siphoned off daily, while overseas Pakistanis face long delays and are forced to pay bribes or wait nights on pavements to get their documents attested. The committee also discussed the urgent need to digitise the attestation process or delegate authority to union councils and deputy commissioners to streamline operations and curb malpractice.
The attestation of documents, such as educational and marriage certificates, by the foreign affairs ministry is typically required for recognition by international and foreign entities.
The matter came up during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, where Senator Hassan of the PPP alleged corruption in the process and remarked: “Overseas Pakistanis are either running from post to pillar for a single signature or paying money for corruption.”
He said that people had been complaining about having to spend nights on pavements to get their documents attested.
The attestation process should either be digitised or union councils and deputy commissioners should be authorised to attest documents, he stressed.
Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar also raised the question of why the process was not being digitised. “Is there a lack of resources?” he said, adding that there should be an app for the FO.
He further stated that the FO should be asked why the issue was not being resolved.
“The higher-up in the Foreign Office does not want to let go of control, and the subordinate is running a shop,” he commented without taking any names and elaborating further. “What is the job of the Foreign Office?” he added.
PML-N Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani claimed during the meeting that a commander of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) had travelled for Haj and Umrah on a Pakistani passport.
At that, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman asked, “Who allowed the TTP to enter [the country]?”
Senator Kakar responded to that, saying, “We, too, were with those who gave the permission.” He also mentioned that when TTP’s Mullah Mansour died, a Pakistani passport was also found in his possession.
As the Senate standing committee expressed reservations over the attestation process, it decided to raise the matter with the FO.
Earlier in the meeting, Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani was elected to chairperson of the standing committee.
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