Islamabad: The opening of six new passport offices in Islamabad has been met with a mix of hope and skepticism among the public. While the government has touted the move as a significant step towards addressing passport delays, many citizens remain frustrated by the ongoing challenges they face in obtaining travel documents.
Director General of Passports, Mustafa Jamal Qazi, assured citizens of improved services and shorter wait times at the new facility located in Sector G10-4.
Causes of delay
A combination of factors has contributed to the prolonged processing times that have caused immense inconvenience to the public.
One of the primary culprits is the outdated infrastructure and manual processes still prevalent in many passport offices. The reliance on paper-based applications and manual data entry has led to inefficiencies and delays.
Additionally, a shortage of staff and inadequate training have further hampered the system's capacity leading to long queues, technical glitches in the online system, and missing documents. Social media is rife with complaints about the ordeal, with many users sharing their experiences of missed travel opportunities due to passport delays.
Another hindrance has been a shortage of ink used for passport printing. The government's inability to procure the necessary ink has significantly impeded the passport issuance process, further delaying an already overburdened system.
This shortage highlights the broader issue of supply chain disruptions and the government's inefficiency in managing essential resources. The ink crisis has exposed the fragility of the passport system, underscoring the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul.
Reforms promised
Qazi said modern facilities have been provided for the citizens in the new state-of-the-art building.
Separate special counters for women and senior citizens have been made in the new building,” Director General Passports said.
“Citizens will not need to queue at the new passport office,” he said. “Passports will be processed under the digital system in the new building,” Mustafa Jamal. He vowed by deploying additional staff, the problems of citizens could be solved on the spot.
As the new passport offices commence operations, their impact on reducing processing times and improving overall service delivery remains to be seen.