Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that fast and efficient passport issuance for overseas Pakistanis is a top priority for the government. The statement came during a high-level meeting focused on improving services for citizens living abroad.
The meeting was jointly chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Salik Hussain. Officials reviewed preparations related to a Spanish residency scheme that aims to help undocumented immigrants legalize their status. Pakistani authorities discussed steps to ensure that citizens can benefit from the program without delays.
Under the plan, Pakistani nationals will be issued passports and other required documents within a week ahead of Spain’s registration process. The initiative is expected to assist around 15,000 Pakistanis seeking legal residency in Spain.
Officials also directed Pakistani embassies to increase staff at passport sections to handle the expected workload. They stressed the need to speed up the issuance of character certificates while maintaining proper checks to prevent misuse of the system.
At the same time, authorities made it clear that strict measures will be taken to stop the issuance of passports to criminals or individuals wanted by law enforcement agencies. Pakistani diplomats in Spain have already provided detailed briefings to support the implementation of this initiative.
