When will passport crisis end in Pakistan?

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan authorities have taken important decisions to overcome the issue pertaining to the delay in printing  of the passports, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to the details, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports decided to purchase 20 new laminators and as many printers, the sources privy to the development said.

They added that the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports also decided to purchase five modern ARPM and two E-passport printers.

“With the new printers and laminators, 1,000 passports can be printed in one hour,” the sources added.

After the purchase of new machinery, the daily passport printing capacity is likely to be increased from 22,000 to 55,000.

The sources said that the passport authority also stocked up on lamination papers for the next six months.

The backlog is anticipated to be started clearing by the final week of September. In order to enhance printing capacity, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports also decided to purchase printers twice a year. The authorities also decided to develop a new database.

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.

Read more: Passport delays may prolong amid printing crisis

“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.