Islamabad- Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs met under the Chairmanship of Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani to receive a briefing on issues relating to the procedural framework of apostille attestation. The meeting was attended by Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, Senator Rubina Qaim Khani, and Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti.
The committee was briefed that apostille attestation is recognized in 112 countries worldwide and is governed under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of attestation for Foreign Public Documents (1961). It was informed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs receives thousands of documents daily for both general and apostille attestation. To manage the heavy workload, the Ministry has authorized regional offices for attestation in various districts of Pakistan, based on data reflecting a high volume of attestation requests, in order to facilitate the public. The committee was further briefed that the Ministry has engaged five courier companies for attestation purposes to ensure rapid public service delivery. The Chairman urged the Ministry officials to encourage courier companies for improved service delivery and directed that applicants, particularly students, should be provided maximum incentives for opting attestation through courier service. He also directed to promote the use of courier services for attestation so that people have not to travel for the purpose.
In response to a query regarding the percentage of different categories of attestation requests, the committee was informed that approximately 26% of requests pertain to educational documents, while the remaining include NADRA documents, court-related orders, and documents issued by Federal and Provincial authorities. The committee urged the Ministry to establish walk-in attestation facilities in South Punjab, owing to the large number of applicants in the region, to further facilitate the public. The Ministry also informed the committee that it generated approximately Rs. 2 billion from apostille attestation during the previous year; however, no fee is currently charged for general attestation. It was further informed that the Ministry is considering the introduction of a fee for general attestation as well.
The Chairman appreciated the efforts of Ministry of Foreign Affairs especially the Deputy Prime Minister / Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar in facilitating the public with regard to document attestation through courier service that enabled people of far flung areas to get attestation facility with ease without travelling to Islamabad. He directed that the entire attestation process be digitized so that no room for any malpractices be there anymore. He further emphasized that minimizing human intervention in the attestation process would enhance transparency. He also encouraged the use of modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as integration with the databases of NADRA, HEC, and other relevant institutions to ensure the authenticity of documents.
The committee also received an in-camera comprehensive briefing on the “Situation in Venezuela and Pakistan’s official position and future repercussions in South America.” The Chairman commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its officials for effectively maintaining Pakistan’s international relations across the globe.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
