The crisis situation arose after the issuance of e-passport, rumors of an increase in passport fees were also spread. Photo: File
Karachi: Citizens flocked to get new and renewed passports, with long queues becoming the norm at the Sadar Passport Office amid the scorching sun and scorching heat.
Before the current situation, the applicant used to get the normal passport in 10 days, while in the current crisis situation, the passport is not being received even in a month, the worst delay in getting the passport is happening from Directorate General Immigration and Passports Islamabad.
On Monday, after the weekly holiday, the worst situation was seen in the passport office Sadar, during which there was no place to sit due to the extreme rush. Citizens were also standing outside the designated passport offices of different districts of the city, due to the heat and scorching sun. Citizens were forced to wait for hours to get new and renewed passports.
Sources say that due to the fact that it is the first working day, they are facing an unusual rush, however, the situation is more or less the same in the rest of the days, the large number of citizens are those who have submitted their application for obtaining a passport after more than a month. It has passed, but they return after hearing the specific phrase “Kal Parso Patha Karlein” from the window.
Sources of the Passport Cell say that the delay in obtaining the passport is due to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports Islamabad. Previously, the citizens used to get a normal passport in 10 to 12 days, but even after a month, the obtaining of the passport is uncertain. Apart from those who want to travel to different countries, most of the pilgrims are those who have to go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. People who work abroad on work visas are also very worried because of the current situation.
According to the sources, the said situation arose after the issuance of e-passport, at the time of its launch, it was rumored that the passport fees were expected to increase. The queue increased which was many times more than the current system and capacity of the passport office due to which long queues became the norm.
In this regard, the passport directorate has explained many times that no increase in passport fees is expected, however, the situation is not under control.
It should be noted that the facility of mobile messages received by Cylians regarding different stages of new and renewed passports is also suspended. Earlier, two text messages were sent to the applicant’s mobile phone, which related to the processing of passport data collection and data printing receipt, while the second message was related to the date of passport printing and delivery to the relevant office, the suspension of messages. Applicants have lost information about their passport processing.
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