In Islamabad, the foreign ministry presented Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with an update on upgraded consular services for overseas Pakistanis, emphasizing digital reforms for document attestation and cross‑border payments, according to the PMO.
PM Shehbaz presided over a meeting in Islamabad, during which senior officials from the foreign ministry, interior ministry, Federal Investigation Agency, IT ministry, Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad, and other senior leaders received a briefing on the ongoing initiatives.
Attendees included Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Minister of State Aoun Chaudhry, and Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa, together with other senior officials.
The briefing addressed improved services at Pakistani embassies, a digitized document‑attestation workflow, a streamlined complaints handling system, and new digital platforms for assorted services and inbound remittances, the statement noted.
“Overseas Pakistanis are a valuable asset, and ensuring they receive comprehensive facilities remains the government’s foremost priority,” the Prime Minister emphasized.
Officials informed the Prime Minister that a QR‑code‑based platform is now operational, simplifying procedures for power of attorney, property transactions, and document attestation for overseas Pakistanis.
The Prime Minister welcomed the QR‑code digitization of the complaints registration system and instructed that the codes be prominently displayed at Pakistani embassies and missions abroad to enhance public accessibility.
He directed the launch of a dedicated awareness campaign targeting overseas Pakistanis to encourage broader adoption of the QR‑code complaint registration system.
The briefing noted that an evening shift has been instituted at the Foreign Office in Islamabad, and that document‑attestation services are now available at the Asaan Khidmat Centre in the capital.
In addition, a courier‑based document attestation service has been launched, and the system has been integrated with the databases of the Higher Education Commission, the Inter‑Boards Coordination Commission, Nadra, and the National Police Bureau, streamlining the attestation process, the PMO said.
The Prime Minister was told that rapid progress is being made on the next phase, which will fully digitize the entire consular services system.
Supported by the National Information Technology Board, a mobile app is under development to enable digital attestation of birth and death certificates, marriage registration certificates, family registration certificates, and other official documents, the statement added.
The briefing followed an earlier session at the foreign ministry, led by DPM Dar, aimed at further enhancing consular services.
Dar received a briefing on measures to improve public facilitation, including digitalizing consular services and introducing morning and evening shifts to increase citizen accessibility, the foreign office said on X.
He instructed that these services be further strengthened to guarantee efficient, transparent, and timely facilitation for the public.
In May, the deputy premier underscored the nation’s economic progress and urged overseas Pakistanis to honour their roots and invest in the country while speaking to Pakistani‑American community leaders in New York.