Islamabad, January 12, 2026: The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, met on Monday 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 and operates 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 attestation offices in districts with a high volume of applications. Additionally, five courier companies have been engaged to provide attestation services, aimed at ensuring faster and more convenient service delivery.
Chairman Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani urged ministry officials to further encourage courier-based attestation and directed that applicants—particularly students—be provided maximum incentives to opt for courier services. He emphasized promoting courier usage to spare citizens the need to travel solely for attestation purposes.
Responding to queries on the nature of applications, the committee was informed that around 26 percent of attestation requests relate to educational documents, while the remainder includes NADRA documents, court orders, and documents issued by federal and provincial authorities. The committee also called for the establishment of walk-in attestation facilities in South Punjab, citing a large number of applicants from the region.
The Ministry informed the committee that approximately Rs. 2 billion was generated from apostille attestation during the previous year. It was also shared that while general attestation is currently free of charge, the Ministry is considering the introduction of a fee for this service as well.
The Chairman appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, for facilitating the public through courier-based attestation services, which have enabled people from far-flung areas to access the facility without traveling to Islamabad. He directed that the entire attestation process be fully digitized to eliminate the possibility of malpractice and stressed that reducing human intervention would significantly enhance transparency.
Senator Durrani further encouraged the adoption of modern technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), and the integration of attestation systems with databases of NADRA, HEC, and other relevant institutions to ensure document authenticity.
The committee also received an in-camera comprehensive briefing on the situation in Venezuela and Pakistan’s official position and its potential repercussions in South America. The Chairman commended the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for effectively managing Pakistan’s diplomatic relations worldwide.
