News
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Passports valid for 10 years now, says MalikLAHORE: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Saturday announced extension in the validity of passports from five to 10 years.
Speaking at the launch of Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Malik said that passports issued after September 15 would have a 10-year validity.
“We have requested immigration experts to give advice on improving passport system of the country,” Malik said, adding, “All of their suggestions will be regarded.”
About IBMS, he said that the system had been developed with the cooperation of NADRA through which the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would have an access to NADRA records.
Malik said that IBMS had been designed according to country’s immigration laws and it would help prevent illegal entry, use of counterfeit documents, human smuggling and other frauds.
The minister added that IBMS had been equipped with technologies such as advance fingerprint matching, specialised handling of different categories of travellers and scalability for integration with other national databases.
“No one would be allowed to play with the fate of the people of Pakistan. There is a third power (foreign elements) that intends to destabilise the country by creating differences among Shias and Sunnis,” he said.
Commenting on cell phone SIM cards, he said, “We will not allow the business of illegal mobile phone SIM cards.” online
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk