Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs met under the chairmanship of Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani to receive a detailed briefing on issues related 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 informed that apostille attestation is recognized in 112 countries worldwide and is governed under the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (1961). Officials briefed the committee that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) receives thousands of documents daily for both general and apostille attestation.
To manage the heavy workload and facilitate the public, the Ministry has authorized regional offices in various districts across Pakistan based on data indicating a high volume of attestation requests. The committee was also informed that five courier companies have been engaged to provide attestation services to ensure faster and more convenient service delivery.
The Chairman urged Ministry officials to further encourage courier companies to improve service delivery and directed that applicants, particularly students, be provided maximum incentives to opt for courier-based attestation. He emphasized promoting courier services to reduce the need for applicants to travel for attestation purposes.
In response to a query, the committee was informed that approximately 26 percent of attestation requests relate 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 from the region.
The Ministry further informed the committee that it generated approximately Rs. 2 billion from apostille attestation during the previous year, while general attestation is currently free of charge. However, the introduction of a fee for general attestation is under consideration.
The Chairman appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, for facilitating document attestation through courier services, enabling residents of far-flung areas to access services without traveling to Islamabad. He directed that the entire attestation process be digitized to eliminate the possibility of malpractices and emphasized that minimizing human intervention would enhance transparency.
He also encouraged the use of modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the integration of 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, along with potential future repercussions in South America. The Chairman commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for effectively maintaining Pakistan's international relations.