Federal Minister for Home Affairs Mohsin Naqvi assured that the delays in the issuance of passports are being resolved and citizens will now receive their passports within the stipulated time frame.
During a surprise visit to the 24/7 Passport Office at Karachi’s Awami Markaz and NADRA Mega Defense Center in Karachi, Mohsin Naqvi interacted with citizens applying for passports and ID cards.
The Interior Minister inquired about the process of obtaining passports and identity cards, to which citizens expressed satisfaction and praised the system, Express News reported.
On this occasion, Mohsin Naqvi reiterated that the delays in issuance of passports are being addressed and now the passports will be delivered on time.
It also issued on-the-ground directives to resolve specific ID card issues raised by citizens. Furthermore, Mohsin Naqvi directed the NADRA Defense Center to improve its cleanliness and maintenance.
“I am visiting passport offices and NADRA centers to facilitate citizens. It is heartwarming to see that the residents of Karachi appreciate the system in these centres,” said Mohsin Naqvi.
Earlier, Federal Minister of Interior Mohsin Naqvi stated that with the cooperation of Saudi Arabia, people involved in forgery of passports and documents can now be arrested within Pakistan.
During his visit to the Saudi Passport Directorate in Riyadh, Mohsin Naqvi met with the Acting Director General, Major General Dr. Saleh Al-Marabba.
The discussion focused on streamlining the passport issuance process and implementing effective measures to prevent counterfeiting. The Minister reviewed the advanced technology used by the Directorate and praised its modern passport system.
Previously, Pakistan’s Passport Office had been grappling with a serious financial crisis, struggling to pay taxes and duties on imported paper and ink needed to print passports.
By May, the backlog of passport applications had reached a staggering 0.8 million, causing significant inconvenience to citizens. The delays were compounded by a shortage of printing machines, which could not meet growing demand.
The department processed between 40,000 and 50,000 applications daily, but could only print between 20,000 and 22,000 passports per day, creating a persistent gap between demand and supply.
This situation prompted the government to take action, leading to the decision to import advanced passport printing machines. By August, the delay had resulted in more than 500,000 people not receiving their passports on time, despite paying significant fees.
Officials confirmed that even rush-fee passports, which were previously processed quickly, had begun taking one to two months to be issued.
However, relief came when ten state-of-the-art desktop printing machines arrived in Pakistan, installation of which began soon after. Once operational, these machines were expected to double the department’s printing capacity, significantly reducing delays and easing system load.
