Fake passports: Interior Ministry constitutes new task force

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has expanded the scope of the investigation into the travelling of Afghan citizens to Saudi Arabia on fake Pakistani passports and CNICs and constituted a joint task force, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The interior ministry constituted a 9-member joint task force led by the joint director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to probe into the issuance of fake Pakistani passports to Afghan citizens.

Representatives of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Military Intelligence (MI), Interior Ministry, Law Division and Passport Office were included in the joint task force.

Related: Interior Ministry starts probe into issuance of 12,000 fake passports

The task force will conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the issuance of fake Pakistani passports, ascertain the responsible persons and recommend further actions.

The nine-member force will also devise a strategy to curb such incidents.

In another development today, the Ministry of Interior directed to initiate legal proceedings against the Afghan nationals who were caught in Saudi Arabia for possessing fake Pakistani passports and identity cards.

According to the Federal Investigation Bureau (FIA) sources, in light of Ministry of Interior directives, the relevant authorities decided to issue the notices to 12,500 Afghan nationals under section 18 of the NADRA Ordinance.

Related: Committee formed to probe issuance of 12,000 fake Pakistani passports

Sources within the FIA revealed that the fake Pakistani identity cards to the 593 Afghan nationals were issued from Islamabad, while a total of 5,500 Pakistani identity cards were issued from Quetta and Peshawar.

NADRA authorities have initiated official legal action against Afghan nationals possessing fake Pakistani passports and national identity cards.

Sources further stated that NADRA officially issued special instructions to the relevant authorities of all centers including Karachi, Quetta, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar.

Meanwhile, the Afghan nationals caught in Saudi Arabia with counterfeit Pakistani passports and identity cards will face immediate cancellation and confiscation of the fraudulent documents.