ISLAMABAD:Minister of State for Interior Senator Talal Chaudhry told the Senate on Tuesday that illegal migration from Pakistan to Europe had declined by 64 per cent, citing the European Union commissioner, and said the government was taking steps to prevent the misuse of Pakistani identity documents.
Responding to points of order raised by Senators Bilal Khan and Abid Sher Ali, he said people could be wrongly added to a family tree either by a relative or through false claims and forged documents. NADRA had conducted two nationwide campaigns, asking citizens to verify their family trees, B-Forms and other records through a helpline.
Chaudhry said the first campaign was launched under the National Action Plan, followed by another three years later. He said the Federal Investigation Agency had registered criminal cases against more than 100 people in connection with identity-document fraud. Action had also been taken against NADRA employees, he added.
Referring to around 5,000 Pakistani passports identified in Saudi Arabia, the minister said officials linked to those cases had been removed from service. He said regional board proceedings were monitored through live streaming, with records kept of applicants’ tokens, waiting times and case outcomes. He invited senators to refer specific complaints for review.
Responding to Abid Sher Ali, Chaudhry said no person was stopped from travelling solely on the basis of an FIR; the relevant department, including police or the FIA, had to send a written request. He said passport fees had been increased after several years, but the increase was nominal and Pakistan’s fees remained lower than those of neighbouring countries.
The minister said illegal migration and crimes committed abroad by some Pakistanis created difficulties for lawful travellers and affected the country’s visa arrangements. He added that more than 10 million Pakistanis living abroad sent about $40 billion in remittances.