The Interior Ministry has initiated action against Afghan citizens residing in Pakistan on the issue of over 12,500 fake identity cards and passports caught in Saudi Arabia.
According to officials of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), it has been decided to issue notices to over 12,500 Afghans on the issue of fake identity cards and passports.
These instructions have been issued to the authorities concerned at all NADRA centres, including Karachi, Quetta, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar.
The 12,500 passports and identity cards will be cancelled after proper legal action is taken.
According to NADRA officials, 593 Afghans were issued identity cards from their Islamabad centres, and 5,500 from Quetta and Peshawar.
On Oct 16, the Interior Ministry had notified a five-member high-level committee to probe into the fake passports issued for Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Committee to probe Saudi Arabia fake passports scandal notified
The committee was headed by the director general (passport and immigration), and included representatives from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Interior Ministry and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
The panel was mandated to investigate the lapses in the issuance of passports and determine the responsibility of the FIA and other institutions involved. It was also supposed to make suggestions to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The committee was given 15 days to submit its report to the ministry.
