Pakistan has strongly denied recent claims by Indian media suggesting that it removed the phrase “Not valid for travel to Israel” from its passports. The Foreign Office called these reports false, baseless, and misleading, confirming that the statement remains printed on all Pakistani passports without any change.
In an official response, the Foreign Office clarified that no modification has been made to Pakistan’s policy or passport wording regarding Israel. The government reaffirmed that Pakistan does not recognize Israel as a state, and therefore, travel between the two countries is still prohibited under existing laws.
Officials from the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports also confirmed that the recent passport updates are purely technical. The new version includes enhanced security features to prevent forgery and misuse.
Additionally, design improvements such as the inclusion of the mother’s name and images of national landmarks have been introduced to modernize the document and strengthen identity verification.
Authorities emphasized that these upgrades do not reflect any policy shift or political message. Instead, they are part of ongoing efforts to digitally secure Pakistan’s passport system in line with international standards.
The government urged the public to rely on official statements rather than unverified media reports. Pakistan’s position on Israel, officials reiterated, remains consistent and unchanged, the phrase “Not valid for travel to Israel” continues to appear on every Pakistani passport issued by the state.
