ISLAMABAD – A major development has emerged in the case involving the theft of 32,674 passports from 25 passport offices across Pakistan, including Abbottabad.
Director General of Passports informed a parliamentary committee that all stolen passports had been blocked and none of them were reissued or renewed. He termed the incident “highly alarming,” warning that such passports carried the risk of being misused for unlawful purposes.
Committee Convener Tariq Fazal Chaudhry expressed concern that, given the prevailing circumstances, these passports could have been used for illegal activities.
The officials briefed the committee that a cyber audit of NADRA and the passport system was conducted two years ago, after which the entire system was fully digitized.
The DG further revealed that following the theft, some individuals carrying these passports were apprehended in Saudi Arabia while Afghan nationals holding them were deported by Saudi authorities.
He assured the committee that strict measures have now been put in place, making it extremely difficult to forge or use counterfeit passports or identity documents.
During the session, the members raised questions regarding the proportion of suspicious ID cards and passports in circulation. The sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee directed the DG Passports to submit a comprehensive inquiry report on the matter at the earliest.
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