Islamabad introduces new measures to block Pakistani passports for Afghans
Pakistan has announced strict measures to prevent Afghan nationals from obtaining Pakistani national ID cards and passports. Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Minister of Information, stated that passport applications will be reviewed in three stages.
On Thursday, October 17, Tarar informed Pakistan’s National Assembly that advanced scanners and devices will be used to enhance the identity verification process and prevent the issuance of fake Pakistani passports and ID cards to Afghans.
The Minister added that Pakistani citizens seeking passports and national IDs must undergo three verification steps.
These steps include verification by a government official, a family registration certificate, and document revalidation, as outlined by Attaullah Tarar.
According to Pakistani media reports, document forgery, particularly the illegal acquisition of Pakistani ID cards and passports by Afghan refugees, has become a serious issue. This problem has gained more attention over the past year as forced deportations of Afghans have increased.
On August 29 of this year, the Pakistani government announced that more than 6,000 illegal identity cards belonging to Afghan refugees had been canceled in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Last December, Geo News, citing sources, reported that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had decided to collect over 58,000 suspicious identity cards and nullify those illegally obtained by Afghan refugees.
Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran face immense challenges, with many at risk of forced deportation despite the dire humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
These refugees are often caught in a difficult situation, with limited access to proper documentation, and many have already been forcibly returned to a country struggling with conflict, poverty, and instability.
The forced deportations, coupled with the harsh living conditions in refugee camps, highlight the urgent need for international assistance to address the plight of Afghan refugees and ensure their safety and dignity during these challenging times.
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