Citizens to receive passports within stipulated time: Mohsin Naqvi

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has assured that 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 open Passport Office at Karachi’s Awami Markaz and the NADRA Defence Mega Centre, Mohsin Naqvi interacted with citizens applying for passports and ID cards.

The Interior Minister inquired about the process of obtaining passports and ID cards, to which citizens expressed satisfaction and praised the system, Express News reported.

On this occasion, Mohsin Naqvi reiterated that the delays in passport issuance are being addressed and that passports will now be delivered on time.

He also issued on-the-spot directives to resolve specific ID card issues raised by citizens. Additionally, Mohsin Naqvi instructed the NADRA Defence Centre to improve its cleanliness and maintenance.

“I am visiting passport offices and NADRA centres to facilitate citizens. It is reassuring to see Karachi residents appreciating the system at these centres,” said Mohsin Naqvi.

Earlier Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that, with Saudi Arabia’s cooperation, individuals involved in passport forgery and document tampering can now be apprehended within Pakistan.

During his visit to the Saudi Directorate of Passport 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 forgery. The minister reviewed the advanced technology utilised by the Directorate and praised its modern passport system

Previously the Pakistan Passport Office had been grappling with a severe financial crisis, struggling to pay taxes and duties on the imported paper and ink required for printing passports.

In May, the backlog of passport applications had reached a staggering 0.8 million, causing significant inconvenience to citizens. The delays were exacerbated by a shortage of printing machines, which failed to keep up with the rising demand.

The department was processing 40,000 to 50,000 applications daily but could only print 20,000 to 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 backlog had resulted in over 500,000 individuals not receiving their passports on time, despite paying significant fees.

Officials confirmed that even urgent-fee passports, which were previously processed promptly, had started taking one to two months to issue.

However, relief came when ten state-of-the-art desktop printing machines arrived in Pakistan, with installation initiated shortly thereafter. Once operational, these machines were expected to double the department’s printing capacity, significantly reducing delays and easing the burden on the system.