Pakistan: Reversal of passport issuance policy for asylum seekers
Previously the interior ministry had prohibited issuance of passport to asylum seekers for security reasons
Islamabad: In a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, it was decided to reverse the recent policy decision that prohibited the issuance of passports to individuals who had sought asylum or were already living on asylum abroad.
This policy, outlined in a circular dated 5 June 2024, has been withdrawn with immediate effect.
Previously, the Passport and Immigration Directorate had prohibited the issuance of passports to individuals seeking asylum abroad. This decision was based on an order from Mohsin Naqvi, who cited national security concerns as the rationale
The meeting, which included the Foreign Secretary, Secretary of Interior, Director General IMPASS, and senior officials from the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs, also tackled delays in the issuance of passports to Pakistanis living abroad.
The interior secretary and DG Immigration have assured the deputy prime minister that passports to the overseas Pakistanis would be issued within 60 days of application.
It was decided that the Ministry of Interior and IMPASS would take immediate steps to upgrade the necessary infrastructure and equipment within the next 45 days. This initiative aims to fast-track the clearance of the entire backlog related to passport issuance for overseas Pakistanis.