Naqvi gets Saudi support to fight passport fraud in Pakistan

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday announced that Saudi Arabia will support Pakistan in tackling passport forgery and document tampering, enabling authorities to apprehend offenders within Pakistan’s borders.

Naqvi recently visited Saudi Arabia to discuss measures to enhance passport security and curb fraud. His visit to the Saudi Directorate of Passports in Riyadh included a meeting with Acting Director General Major General Dr. Saleh Al-Marabba, where they explored ways to streamline the passport issuance process and improve security measures. 

He was particularly impressed with the advanced technology employed by the Directorate to ensure the safety of Saudi passports.

During the discussions, Naqvi highlighted the importance of Saudi cooperation in strengthening Pakistan’s own passport system. 

He also shared plans to set up a call centre in Pakistan, inspired by Saudi Arabia’s Directorate, to further boost passport security. This move follows recent incidents where 3,700 Pakistanis were detained for attempting to travel with forged documents.

The visit also addressed concerns about Pakistani beggars entering Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas. 

Saudi authorities had raised alarms about the growing issue, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) recently detained individuals attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia for begging. Saudi Arabia urged Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs to take action on the matter.

Naqvi’s trip also included discussions on anti-narcotics cooperation. He met with Major General Muhammad Al-Qarni, the Director General of the Saudi Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, to explore advanced drug detection technology and greater collaboration in tackling global drug trafficking. 

Moreover, Naqvi emphasized the need for international cooperation to combat the growing drug menace. He also visited the King Fahd Security College to discuss potential educational exchanges and training programs with Saudi officials.