Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has ordered an inquiry into reported irregularities within the apostille and document attestation system at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This system is crucial for citizens requiring authentication of documents for educational, legal, and immigration purposes both domestically and internationally.
In a significant development, DPM Dar has established a three-member committee to conduct a thorough investigation. The panel will be led by Secretary Petroleum Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh as convener, with Secretary Law Raja Naeem Akbar and Special Secretary Finance Qumar Sarwar Abbasi serving as members. Their mandate includes identifying any misuse or irregularities in the apostille process and assessing the involvement of courier services engaged in handling these documents.
The committee is also tasked with examining whether any officials within the foreign ministry played a role in the alleged discrepancies. Furthermore, it will propose reforms aimed at strengthening the system to prevent future lapses. The inquiry has been given a strict deadline of two weeks to submit its findings and recommendations.
Meanwhile, the additional secretary (admin) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to fully cooperate with the committee, ensuring access to all pertinent records and materials necessary for the investigation.
Notably, Pakistan became a signatory to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention in 2023, a move intended to facilitate the international acceptance of Pakistani public documents. An apostille certifies the authenticity of a public official’s signature on a document, allowing it to be recognized directly by authorities in other member countries without requiring further attestation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially launched Pakistan’s apostille system on August 21, 2024, in a ceremony presided over by DPM Dar. The system enables document submissions through five authorized courier companies, while the foreign ministry and its liaison offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and Gujrat handle the processing of apostille applications.
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