Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid an extensive visit to Saudi Arabia’s Directorate of Passports, where he was warmly welcomed by Acting Director General Major General Dr. Saleh Al-Murabaa.
During the visit, Minister Naqvi toured various departments, including the advanced call center, and reviewed the cutting-edge technologies utilized in Saudi Arabia’s passport system.
He praised the system’s efficiency and lauded its integration of state-of-the-art technology for passport processing and fraud prevention.
Discussions between the two officials focused on measures to streamline passport issuance processes and bolster efforts to combat forgery. They also explored the implementation of e-gates to enhance operational efficiency and security.
Minister Naqvi emphasized the potential benefits of leveraging Saudi expertise to improve Pakistan’s passport system. “The assistance of the Saudi Directorate of Passports can be pivotal in making our system more user-friendly and secure,” he remarked.
He announced plans to establish a call center in Pakistan modeled after Saudi Arabia’s system to provide enhanced services to citizens. The Minister also stressed the importance of collaboration in detecting and preventing document forgery.
“With Saudi Arabia’s support, we can apprehend offenders involved in passport forgery and document tampering within Pakistan itself,” Naqvi stated.
The visit also addressed recent incidents involving 3,700 Pakistanis apprehended at Saudi airports for traveling with tampered passports or fake documents, highlighting the urgency for stronger preventive measures.
This visit marks a significant step towards fostering enhanced collaboration between the two nations in modernizing and securing passport systems.