Individuals applying for passports in major cities across Pakistan are grappling with significantly extended delivery times, as the standard processing period has now stretched to 2.5 to 3 months.
Lengthy queues have become a familiar sight at passport offices in key locations such as Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad.
Despite the imposition of urgent fees aimed at expediting the process, applicants are experiencing only marginal relief, as delivery delays persist, sometimes extending up to a couple of weeks.
The primary cause of this delay is attributed to a recent shortage of lamination paper, coupled with a notable increase in the number of citizens applying for new passports.
Officials at passport offices acknowledge a significant surge in applications, leading to a backlog in the printing process. The delayed acquisition of lamination paper has further complicated the situation.
Many citizens, particularly those who have secured job opportunities abroad, express frustration over the prolonged wait times, fearing potential job losses due to delays in obtaining essential travel documents. Calls are being made for authorities to intervene and expedite the passport delivery process.
Compounding the concerns, unscrupulous agents are taking advantage of the situation, extorting money from desperate applicants by promising expedited passport delivery.
This development comes against the backdrop of a recent system outage, highlighting the strain on the passport issuance system. Applicants emphasize that such disruptions are becoming increasingly frequent, raising concerns about the overall reliability of the system.
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