Pakistanis seeking asylum in foreign countries will not receive passports

The federal Ministry of Interior has decided on Tuesday not to issue passports to Pakistanis who have requested asylum or are already living on asylum in foreign countries, citing security concerns.

The ministry sent a letter to relevant authorities asking them not to issue travel documents to asylum seekers.

According to the ministry’s notification, previously issued passports will be suspended and not renewed.

The Director General Passports issued the notification on Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s directions.

The Foreign Ministry and other relevant authorities have also received copies of the notification.

According to data issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),  almost 40,618 Pakistanis applied for asylum in 2022.

Most Pakistani asylum seekers are currently based in Italy, Austria, and Canada.

Some of them are in the United States of America, as almost 1477 individuals fled away from Pakistan to the USA in 2022.

Pakistan was the fifth most represented country, with 5342 immigrants arriving in Europe; however, the number of Pakistani asylum seekers in Greece didn’t increase from 2022 to 2023.