Senator alleges ‘corruption of billions of rupees’ in attestation of documents at Foreign Office

After Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan alleged on Friday that “corruption of billions of rupees” was being committed daily at the foreign affairs ministry in the attestation of documents, a Senate body decided to raise the matter with the Foreign Office (FO).

Dawn has reached out to the FO for a comment.

The attestation of documents, such as educational and marriage certificates, by the foreign affairs ministry is typically required for recognition by international and foreign entities.

The matter came up during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, where Senator Hassan of the PPP alleged corruption in the process and remarked: “Overseas Pakistanis are either running from post to pillar for a single signature or paying money for corruption.”

He said that people had been complaining about having to spend nights on pavements to get their documents attested.

The attestation process should either be digitised or union councils and deputy commissioners should be authorised to attest documents, he stressed.

Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar also raised the question of why the process was not being digitised. “Is there a lack of resources?” he said, adding that there should be an app for the FO.

He further stated that the FO should be asked why the issue was not being resolved.

“The higher-up in the Foreign Office does not want to let go of control, and the subordinate is running a shop,” he commented without taking any names and elaborating further. “What is the job of the Foreign Office?” he added.

PML-N Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani claimed during the meeting that a commander of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) had travelled for Haj and Umrah on a Pakistani passport.

At that, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman asked, “Who allowed the TTP to enter [the country]?”

Senator Kakar responded to that, saying, “We, too, were with those who gave the permission.” He also mentioned that when TTP’s Mullah Mansour died, a Pakistani passport was also found in his possession.

As the Senate standing committee expressed reservations over the attestation process, it decided to raise the matter with the FO.

Earlier in the meeting, Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani was elected to chairperson of the standing committee.

The body was previously headed by PML-N’s Irfan Siddiqui, who passed away on November 10.

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