Foreign Ministry Caught in Another Audit Controversy

For context, the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has flagged irregularities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MoFA) growth in Apostille certification fees.

Key points

• The AGP cited Rule 18 of the Financial Management and Powers of Principal Accounting Officers Regulations 2021.
• The service covered the ministry's headquarters and its Foreign Office Liaison Offices in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, and Gujrat.
• Govt Cuts Petrol Levy, Makes Refineries Pay to Keep Rates Unchanged.
• During discussions on November 21, 2025, the ministry assured the audit team that it would provide a copy of the relevant approval.
• When the matter was discussed on November 21, 2025, the ministry remarked it would secure the relevant record verified by the audit authorities.

According to the AGP's audit report 2025-26 for the financial year 2024-25, MoFA revised the Apostille fees on July 8, 2024, without prior approval from the Finance Division and allegedly without notifying the new rates in the official Gazette. Govt Cuts Petrol Levy, Makes Refineries Pay to Keep Rates Unchanged. How Much Apostille Fees Went Up.

Notably, the audit discovered that the fee for personal documents was raised from Rs. 500 to Rs. 3, 000, the fee for legal documents from Rs. 700 to Rs. 4, 500, and the fee for commercial documents from Rs. 3, 000 to Rs. 12, 000. Document Type Old Fee New Fee Growth. Personal documents Rs. 500 Rs. 3, 000 6 times. Legal documents Rs. 700 Rs. 4, 500 Regarding 6.4 times. Commercial documents Rs. 3, 000 Rs. 12, 000 4 times. Why the Auditor Objected.

Meanwhile, the AGP cited Rule 18 of the Financial Management and Powers of Principal Accounting Officers Regulations 2021. It requires prior consultation with the Finance Division on decisions with financial implications, including the imposition of fees, levies, and other charges.

It additionally referred to Clause 4 of the Apostille Act 2024, under which the competent authority may set fees for Apostille certificates through a notification in the official.

Notably, the audit remarked new rates should have been fixed with the Finance Division's approval and through the prescribed legal procedure.

During discussions on November 21, 2025, the ministry assured the audit team that it would provide a copy of the relevant approval. Nevertheless, no documentary evidence was provided before the audit report was finalized.

At the Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC) session on December 19, 2025, the ministry maintained that setting service charges was the prerogative of the competent authority under the Apostille Act 2024.

Notably, the audit stood by its objection, and the DAC directed the ministry to take up the matter with the Finance Division. What This Means for You.

Anyone getting documents apostilled for study, work, or immigration abroad is directly affected. At the old rates, a person apostilling three personal documents, such as a degree, a transcript, and a birth certificate, would have paid Rs. 1, 500 in fees. At the revised rates, the same three documents cost Rs. 9, 000, an extra Rs. 7, 500.

For a legal document, the fee is Rs. While businesses now pay Rs, 3, 800 higher than before. 9, 000 more for every commercial document. Courier charges for collecting and delivering documents come on top of these fees.

Meanwhile, the audit does not cancel the new fees. For now, the DAC has only informed the ministry to take up the matter with the Finance Division and the Law and Justice Division, so the revised rates remain in place unless the administration decides otherwise. Courier Contracts Awarded Without Open Tenders.

In a separate observation, the AGP questioned the ministry's decision to outsource Apostille courier services to five firms without inviting open tenders, setting selection criteria, or competitively evaluating their business profiles.

For context, the five firms, TCS, Leopards, Gerry's, M&P, and Excellent Courier Services (ECS), were engaged from May 17, 2024, to collect and deliver documents submitted for Apostille certification.

Notably, the service covered the ministry's headquarters and its Foreign Office Liaison Offices in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, and Gujrat.

According to the audit, the contracts were awarded without after the open competitive bidding required under Rule 20 of the Public Procurement Rules. It makes open bidding the main method for procuring goods, services, and works. The ministry additionally had no criteria for assessing the credentials, business profiles, or operational capacity of the selected businesses. Reservations Over One Courier Business.

Notably, the audit raised particular reservations over the selection of ECS. It it stated had no established business profile before being awarded the contract for Apostille-related services at the national level.

ECS was not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) or under the federal or provincial sales tax systems, the audit observed. It additionally had only three branches, in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. It limited its reach, particularly in remote parts of the country.

AGP remarked awarding contracts without open competition undermined transparency, economy, efficiency, and value for capital. It continued that the rates quoted by the businesses could not be considered competitive without a transparent bidding process. Cheaper Funds Transfers Unveiled for Overseas Pakistanis.

When the matter was discussed on November 21, 2025, the ministry remarked it would secure the relevant record verified by the audit authorities. At the DAC session on December 19, 2025, the audit team repeated that no proper terms and conditions or criteria had been framed to evaluate the courier businesses.

Notably, the committee directed the ministry to hold a fact-finding inquiry and immediately float a tender to ensure transparency in the outsourcing process. The AGP has recommended that the DAC's directives be implemented in both cases.

MoFA has lately been moving its consular services online, including the launch of a digital attestation system for consular documents. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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Taken together, the developments around foreign Ministry Caught in Another Audit Controversy point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.