MEA recommends action in 23 passports missing case

Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) headed by Sushma Swaraj on Saturday directed the passport issuing authority to take action in the case pertaining to the missing of 23 passports of Sikh pilgrims who wanted to visit gurdwaras in Pakistan, said sources.

According to media reports, these passports had gone missing from the Pakistan High Commission here. The matter came to light after these passport holders filed an FIR with the local police.

Moments after knowing about the incident, the MEA immediately swung into action and revoked all missing passports. MEA has reportedly also taken up this issue with the Pakistan High Commission.

Responding to the accusation, the Pakistan High Commission first distanced itself from the incident and later denied that any of its officers were responsible for the missing passports of 23 Sikhs. It, in turn, had blamed a Delhi-based travel agent for losing the passports.

These 23 passports were first collected by a Delhi-based agent who claimed to have submitted all the dossiers to the Pakistan High Commission. The agent later told Indian authorities that when he went to the High Commission to collect the passports, he was told by Pakistan officials that they do not possess any of those documents.