Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been briefed on expanded consular services for overseas Pakistanis, including the digitization of document attestation and foreign payment systems. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the prime minister chaired a meeting in Islamabad to review progress on the initiatives, attended by officials from the foreign ministry, interior ministry, the Federal Investigation Agency, the IT ministry, Pakistani envoys, and other senior representatives.
The meeting was told that Pakistan has already introduced a QR code based system to simplify power of attorney, property transactions, and document attestation, along with a faster complaint registration system also built around QR codes. The prime minister directed authorities to display these QR codes prominently at Pakistani embassies and missions abroad and to launch a public awareness campaign so more overseas Pakistanis can benefit from the system.
The briefing also highlighted new facilitation measures, including an evening shift at the Foreign Office in Islamabad and attestation services now available at the Asaan Khidmat Centre. Officials said the attestation process has been linked with the databases of the Higher Education Commission, the Inter Boards Coordination Commission, NADRA, and the National Police Bureau to make the process faster and more efficient, with the system also shifting to a one-step Apostille process.
The Prime Minister’s Office added that the government is developing a mobile application for the digital attestation of birth, death, marriage, and family registration certificates. The initiative adds to a series of digital service upgrades aimed specifically at overseas Pakistanis, building on earlier efforts including NADRA’s expanded NICOP services and self-service kiosks, reflecting continued government focus on simplifying documentation and consular processes for the diaspora community.
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