Passport delays have become a significant concern for citizens, and a recent glitch in the passport issuance system added to their troubles. The system experienced a two-hour outage, during which citizens had to wait in long queues outside passport offices across the country.

The technical fault that occurred caused the system, which is connected to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) database, to collapse. This made it impossible to upload applicants’ credentials.

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Fortunately, IT experts were able to reconnect the system with the NADRA database after two hours, restoring its functionality.

It’s worth noting that passport applicants have been facing prolonged delays in receiving their travel documents. To address this issue, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passport had previously announced an extension of the delivery time to a maximum of 21 working days.