The Interior Ministry has announced a significant increase in passport applications, with daily submissions reaching between 45,000 and 50,000. However, the current capacity allows for only 20,000 to 22,000 passports to be issued each day, resulting in a backlog.
Officials have cited limited capacity and outdated infrastructure as the main causes of these delays. In a statement to the National Assembly, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi noted that the passport system, which was introduced in 2004, was adequate at the time but has since struggled to keep up with the rapid expansion of regional offices, which grew from 30 to 223, and foreign missions, which increased from 10 to 93. Unfortunately, technological upgrades have not kept pace with this rising demand.
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Compounding the situation, a shortage of passport paper late last year resulted in applicants facing waiting times of several months. To combat the backlog, the department has begun operating around the clock in three shifts, and passport printing has been decentralized to regional offices located in major cities, including Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore, and Multan.
In an effort to boost production capacity, the department is procuring 20 Delta printers and 20 laminators, which are expected to arrive by October 2024. Furthermore, additional orders for desktop printers and e-passport machines are set to be delivered by November 2024. Officials are optimistic that these upgraded resources will help expedite the processing of applications and significantly reduce waiting times for new passport seekers.
