Islamabad, September 5 (Daily Kiran) : A recent report has unveiled significant issues within Pakistan’s government systems, stemming from a passport scandal. This situation has brought to light three major problems: deteriorating relations with Afghanistan, politically influenced and corrupt civil institutions, and a longstanding tendency to blame external forces for domestic issues.
According to a report by Stringer Asia, thousands of Afghan nationals have been traveling on Pakistani passports. The interpretation from Islamabad suggests that these Afghan citizens have infiltrated the country’s identification system, exploited hospitality, jeopardized security, and tarnished Pakistan’s reputation abroad.
This scandal aligns with the narrative Pakistan has consistently presented following its strained relations with Kabul. The country portrays itself as besieged by Afghan terrorists, refugees, and now, by fraudulent documentation. However, the reality is that these documents were not issued spontaneously.
The report indicates that this issue extends beyond Afghans acquiring fake documents; it highlights the issuance of genuine documents based on false pretenses by Pakistani officials. If a foreign national can be included in a Pakistani family record, obtain a computerized national identity card, and subsequently acquire a passport, the blame cannot solely rest on a skilled forger based in Kabul. It necessitates access to Pakistan’s administrative systems, corrupt intermediaries, and, in some cases, collusion from officials.
The report also mentions that criminal proceedings are underway against employees of Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) accused of facilitating the issuance of fake documents. Some officials have already been dismissed from their positions, and over 100 agents were arrested during raids last month.
In July, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency detained NADRA officials suspected of aiding Afghan nationals. The agency has also begun investigating potential ties between this network and terrorist organizations.
Despite these developments, political rhetoric continues to blame Afghans as the primary culprits behind the scandal, while the role of the Pakistani government is downplayed. The report states, “Foreigners are labeled as infiltrators, while officials selling citizenship are presented as a mere technical flaw in the system. This narrative is convenient as it shifts the perception of government failure to an external threat.”
The report further suggests that this extensive network linked to thousands of documents likely served more than just one group. By primarily framing the issue in relation to terrorism, Islamabad avoids confronting a more embarrassing reality: that Pakistani identity has become a commodity that can be purchased through the right broker.
The report emphasizes, “The surrendered passports do not merely indicate that Pakistan’s borders have been breached from the outside. They serve as evidence that the security of the border has been sold from within the country.”
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