ISLAMABAD: In a major development, Islamabad has launched digital land record and passport processing services for Pakistanis living in the United Kingdom (UK), the Pakistani foreign office said on Monday.
The development came during a visit to the UK by Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who inaugurated the landmark initiatives at the Pakistan High Commission in London on Monday.
The UK is home to over 1.6 million Pakistanis who have often complained of difficulties in sale, purchase, transfer and settlement of disputes concerning their lands back home, despite contributing significantly to remittances, business and cultural links.
The Land Record Service enables British Pakistanis to remotely access and manage property records in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province, according to the foreign office.
“This digital platform offers services such as online sale deeds, ‘Fard’ (Record of Rights), ‘e-Girdawari,’ mutation entries and document attestation, all secured by blockchain technology to ensure transparency and prevent fraud,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“A dedicated Land Services Desk at the Pakistan High Commission in London will support the pilot phase, with plans to expand to other Pakistani consulates in the United Kingdom.”
Concurrently, the One Window Passport Processing System, implemented by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (IMPASS), streamlines passport application procedures by consolidating multiple steps into a single, efficient counter, according to the foreign office.
“This system reduces processing time to approximately 10 minutes per application, enhancing convenience, reducing congestion, and ensuring greater transparency for British Pakistanis,” it said.
Dar described the initiatives as “a digital leap toward safeguarding diaspora rights and fostering investment,” while the foreign office said they marked a significant step toward efficient, transparent and accessible governance for Pakistanis abroad.
The Pakistani deputy premier earlier met the UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hamish Falconer, and shared Pakistan’s commitment to economic reforms and perspective on regional developments, including peace and stability in South Asia following a military standoff with India in May.
“Both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening cooperation across political, economic, climate, and people-to-people domains,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
The UK is among Pakistan’s largest bilateral development partners, with cooperation spanning education, health, climate resilience, governance reform and trade.
Dar is on an official visit to the UK since Saturday to strengthen Pakistan-UK ties, boost cooperation in digital technology, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship, and enhanced cooperation with the Commonwealth.
Separately, the deputy premier held a meeting with Pakistani-origin British parliamentarians, Mohammad Yasin, Tahir Ali, Imran Hussain, Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain, according to the foreign office.
He underscored the deep historical and cultural bonds between Pakistan and the UK and emphasized Pakistan’s strong commitment to enhancing bilateral parliamentary exchanges with the United Kingdom.
“He noted that such engagements facilitate the sharing of democratic experiences, international best practices, and core democratic values, which are vital for the growth and stability of democratic institutions in both countries,” the foreign office said.
