Free passport announced for citizens

QUETTA: Chief Minister (CM) Balochistan Mir Sarfaraz Bugti on Thursday announced that citizens will receive free passports, ARY News reported.

Addressing an event for the launch of the computerised arms license system in Quetta, CM Bugti said that the provincial government inked an agreement with the passport office to for the convenience of the citizens.

“The government will pay the passport fee on behalf of the citizens,” CM Bugti said.

Additionally, he said that the government will pay the Rs 16,000 cost for citizens of Chaman to obtain free digital passports under the one-document system.

CM Bugti said that technology is helping the government move toward effective governance. He said that the digital arms license system will be extended throughout Balochistan.

The CM also spoke on the recent flooding in the province, saying that an emergency has been declared in four districts of Balochistan. He clarified that Dera Bugti has never been a no-go area.

Earlier, the issue of delay in Pakistani passport issuance echoed in the National Assembly.

Responding to Pakistan People’s Party’s Aga Rafiullah’s call attention notice, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar said the government is working to speed up the issuance process of passports.

He said the daily demand for Pakistani passports has reached 44,000 while only 25,000 to 26,000 passports are being published, daily in Pakistan.

“Software is on update, the number of issuance of passports will reach 60,000, daily till September,” Tarar said.

Azam Nazeer Tarar admitted ‘extraordinary’ delay in passport issuance and assured to address the issue raised by a member of the house.