In a recent development, the issuance of passports in Pakistan has hit a roadblock due to a shortage of lamination paper, resulting in a growing backlog and significant concern among citizens.
As per reliable sources, the accumulating backlog of passports has surged to a staggering 5,000,000 over the past week. Additionally, the influx of new passport applications and renewal requests ranges from 20,000 to 25,000 daily.
The Ministry of Interior has assured the public that lamination paper has already been ordered, but it will take approximately one week for the shipment to arrive in Pakistan. Following this, an additional week will be needed to clear the lamination paper through customs.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has also predicted that the passport backlog could swell to a million within the next two weeks, potentially prolonging the crisis for more than a month.
It’s crucial to note that the surge in demand for passport services, particularly due to an increased number of passport applicants at offices across the nation, has significantly contributed to this issue. Prior to this challenge, technical glitches within the passport office system had caused inconvenience to thousands of citizens nationwide, with Karachi being notably affected.
According to inside sources, the glitch was related to the system’s connection with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) offices, leading to a nationwide two-hour halt in operations. Furthermore, the technical issue resulted in delays in uploading applicant data, causing extended waiting times for individuals after their photo and biometrics procedures. This situation added to the overall strain on the passport issuance process.
The government is actively working to address these issues and streamline the passport issuance process to alleviate the growing backlog and inconvenience experienced by citizens.