Pakistani President Arif Alvi approved Islamabad's accession to the 1961 Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents. The application now has to be approved by the Hague Conference on Private International Law, after which Pakistani documents can be legalized using a simplified procedure – by affixing an apostille stamp.
According to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif of Pakistan, the country's accession to the Apostille Convention will make life easier for its citizens who are currently abroad.
"Pakistani certified documents will be accepted in more than a hundred countries," the Prime Minister said. He also pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be responsible for the simplified legalization of documents in Pakistan.
Salman Sufi, head of strategic reforms, said joining the Hague Convention is a great relief for Pakistanis. He noted that the Pakistani authorities are now preparing to make changes to the country's legislation that will allow for the full use of the apostille procedure throughout its territory.
