Foreign Ministry inquiry alleges Rs12 billion taken from citizens for attestation

An internal inquiry at Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has alleged that citizens paid around Rs12 billion in a single year to get documents attested through illegal channels, according to reports published on Wednesday, 16 September. The Foreign Office had not commented when the reports appeared.

Where the allegation comes from

The figure comes from a fact-finding report prepared inside the ministry, not from the Auditor General or a parliamentary committee. According to 24 News and Pakistan Observer:

• a four-member committee led by Dr Ahmed Ali Sarohi, Director General (Audit and Inspection) at the ministry, carried out the inquiry
• the report was sent to the Foreign Secretary's Office in July 2026
• the story was first brought out by Geo News journalist Azaz Syed, according to Daily Qudrat

The report itself has not been made public. Searchable.pk has not seen it, and the claims below are allegations as reported.

What the report alleges

• Rs12 billion was collected from citizens over about one year for document attestation through unofficial channels
• some people were charged up to Rs800,000 for a single attestation route outside the official system
• the committee described the operation as a "mafia" network
• a private courier company allegedly had links to a ministry officer
• an officer in the Foreign Secretary's Office, directors general of several wings, a former additional secretary and former diplomats are named in the report, according to the outlets; their names have not been published and none has been quoted in response

What happened to the report

According to ministry sources cited by 24 News and ProPakistani, the report was not forwarded to the National Accountability Bureau or any other investigating agency. Several officers allegedly linked to the matter were later posted abroad, the reports said.

The Foreign Office spokesperson had not responded to the allegations, Pakistan Observer reported.

What it means for you

Document attestation is a routine step for many Pakistanis: students applying abroad, workers heading to the Gulf, and families dealing with marriage, birth or education papers. Educational papers usually need attestation from the issuing body, such as the Higher Education Commission or IBCC, before the Foreign Office step.

The allegation is that some people paid middlemen large sums to skip queues or bypass the official process. If you need papers attested:

• use only the ministry's official channels, including its online apostille system
• pay fees only through the official method and keep your receipt
• be wary of agents promising same-day attestation for a large cash payment
• report anyone demanding extra money to the ministry or to the Pakistan Citizen's Portal

If you are planning to work or study abroad, you can estimate what your foreign salary is worth in rupees with our currency converter.

What happens next

The key questions are whether the ministry releases the report, whether it refers the findings to NAB or the FIA, and whether any officer named in it is recalled or charged. Parliament's standing committees on foreign affairs could also take up the matter.