ISLAMABAD: 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’s statement followed his visit to the Saudi Directorate of Passports in Riyadh, where he met with Acting Director General Major General Dr. Saleh Al-Marabba.
The two discussed ways to streamline the passport issuance process, enhance security measures, and prevent fraud. Naqvi was particularly impressed by the advanced technology employed by the Directorate, which plays a key role in ensuring the security of Saudi passports.
Naqvi highlighted the significant role Saudi cooperation would play in strengthening Pakistan’s own passport system, making it more secure and preventing fraudulent activities. He also revealed plans to establish a call centre in Pakistan, modeled after the one in Saudi Arabia’s Directorate, to further enhance passport security.
The collaboration follows incidents in which 3,700 Pakistanis were detained at airports for attempting to travel with forged documents. Naqvi’s visit aims to bolster efforts to curb such illegal practices.
The visit also comes in the wake of concerns raised by Saudi authorities about the presence of Pakistani beggars in the Kingdom, particularly those entering on Umrah visas.
Recently, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) detained a group of individuals at Karachi Airport who were attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia with the intention of begging. These developments have prompted Saudi Arabia to formally urge Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs to address the issue.
In his broader diplomatic engagements, Naqvi also discussed anti-narcotics cooperation with Saudi officials. During his visit to the Saudi Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, he met with Director General Major General Muhammad Al-Qarni to explore enhanced cooperation in combating global drug trafficking. As part of the discussions, Saudi Arabia offered advanced drug detection technology to Pakistan.
Naqvi emphasized the need for continued international collaboration to address the growing drug challenge. “No country can tackle the menace of drugs alone; it has become a shared global challenge,” Naqvi remarked, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to working closely with Saudi Arabia to create a drug-free environment for future generations.
In addition to discussions on passport security, Naqvi visited the King Fahd Security College in Riyadh, where he met with Director General Major General Dr. Ali Al-Daej. Naqvi commended the college’s strategic five-year plan and lauded its focus on modern security education.
During the visit, Naqvi invited graduates of the college’s master’s programs to participate in study tours in Pakistan as part of an exchange programme. He also proposed offering short-term training courses for Pakistani graduates at the college.
Naqvi emphasized that the college’s curriculum, which covers leadership, security studies, and artificial intelligence, reflects Saudi Arabia’s forward-thinking leadership and commitment to advanced education in security.
