News
Monday, December 12, 2011
Printing of passports being de-centralised, says MalikISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said printing process of passports is being de-centralised, as these would be issued at provincial headquarters and district level. In this regard, he directed the concerned authorities to complete the process within two months.
Malik said earlier passports for the citizens were issued only from Islamabad, but the de-centralisation would help facilitate those living in Pakistan and overseas Pakistani as well.
The minister, who held a meeting with concerned departments, said he has also directed to double the strength of staff in 36 passport offices of Pakistan worldwide and in future these offices would also have facility of printing passports.
He said issuance of passports would start within a week from Los Angels, United States.
The minister said more passport offices were being established in Multan, Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan while passport offices in Haripur and Chakwal would start functioning soon.
Malik said issuance process of Machine Readable Passport (MRP) is being improved and such passports would soon be issued from Pakistan’s embassies abroad. He took serious notice of complaints in the passport offices and directed to make corruption free Directorate of Passports and Immigration and said disciplinary action should be taken against corrupt officials. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk