Pakistan
Pakistan Government Acts to Clear Passport Backlog
The Pakistan government has taken steps to clear the backlog of over 800,000 pending passports, with tenders issued for the purchase of printing and e-passport machines.
The backlog caused inconvenience to a substantial number of Pakistanis, particularly those planning to undertake the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
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Currently, the authorities are printing 20,000 to 25,000 passports daily, while receiving an average of 40,000 to 45,000 applications per day.
International tenders have also been issued for the acquisition of lamination paper, which has been cited as a key factor in the delays.
The Passport and Immigration Department has attributed the delay to a shortage of ink and lamination paper, but has assured that once these supplies are replenished, all pending passports will be cleared by June.
This development comes after numerous complaints from applicants regarding significant delays in passport issuance, with over 550,000 individuals facing two to three months of wait time.
