News
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Passport Office’s outdated machines erect backlog
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: There is a tremendous backlog of passport applications yet to be dealt with caused by the outdated lamination machines that has caused suffering to the applicants. 160,000 applications are waiting to be cleared all over the country, Daily Times has learnt.
This delay by the Passport Office may also affect the foreign remittances that make a major part of country’ economy. Passport Office management claimed they could do noting in this regard as lamination machines were out of order. Though Minister for Interior Rehman Malik has taken notice of the issue the machines have not yet been repaired, they said. As per regulations, urgent passport that costs Rs 4,000 is issued within 4 to 6 days whereas normally it costs Rs 2100 and is issued within 15 days but a number of citizens are complaining they had not been issued passports even after two months.
According to sources, the authorities purchased 12 machines in 2004 for lamination purposes. Over six years have gone by and now these machines are mostly out of order due to successive use.
Muhammad Ajmal, an applicant, while talking to Daily Times, claimed he wanted to visit his sister who is ill in UAE, he applied for urgent passport but officials are unable to issue an exact date as the machines were out of function. Other applicants Muhammad Naeem, Imran, Saghir, and others raged that though their agents had sent visas for the job but due to unavailability of passport they were unable to go abroad. They claimed neither they could get jobs in Pakistan nor were able to move abroad.
15 to 20 thousands apply daily for issuance of passports all over Pakistan. At the moment, passports that were due to be issued on February 18th have not been prepared yet.
New machines have been purchased: Ali: Director Immigration & Passports Shakir Ali, while talking to Daily Times, claimed that in order to clear this backlog six new machines have been purchased on the instructions by Minister for Interior Rehman Malik. He expected to clear past applications and a smooth functioning in next 15 to 20 days.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk