Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Monday inaugurated land record services and a one-window passport processing system at the Pakistan High Commission in London, delivering on a commitment made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in April 2025.
According to the Foreign Office, the new facilities mark a major step toward efficient, transparent, and accessible governance for Pakistanis abroad.
The land record services, developed in collaboration with the Punjab Land Revenue Authority (PLRA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, enable British Pakistanis to remotely access and manage property records in Punjab without having to travel to Pakistan. The digital platform offers services including online sale deeds, Fard (Record of Rights), e-Girdawari, mutation entries, and document attestation, all secured by blockchain technology to prevent fraud. A Land Services Desk at the High Commission will support the pilot phase, with expansion to other UK consulates planned.
Simultaneously, the one-window passport system, introduced by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (IMPASS), consolidates multiple application steps into a single counter, cutting processing time to around 10 minutes per application. The initiative is expected to reduce congestion and enhance convenience for the Pakistani community in the UK.
Calling the initiatives “a digital leap toward safeguarding diaspora rights and fostering investment,” Dar commended the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PLRA, NADRA, and the Pakistan High Commission London in advancing the government’s vision of innovative, responsive, and efficient services for overseas Pakistanis.
Separately, Dar met British MPs of Pakistani origin, highlighting the diaspora’s role as a bridge between Pakistan and the UK and appreciating their efforts in raising awareness about human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
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