Passport waiting time for overseas Pakistanis reduced

Naqvi orders issuance of urgent passports in week, and ordinary passport in a month

LONDON:

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered for expediting the passport issuance for overseas Pakistanis in response to notice taken of the delay in passport processing for Pakistani citizens residing worldwide, according to a press release issued here on Sunday.

Naqvi visited the passport and Nadra centres in London and ordered issuance of urgent passports for overseas Pakistanis within seven days while the normal ones within 30 days. This policy would apply to all Pakistani missions worldwide, he directed.

Currently, the overseas Pakistanis are being issued normal passports in four months, while urgent ones within one-and-a-half month. Naqvi emphasised that any delay in passport issuance was unacceptable and warned of action against relevant officials over non-compliance with the order.

To ensure timely delivery of passports, the minister established a monitoring cell. The overseas Pakistanis who did not receive their passports within the specified time could file a complaint at the cell. He directed effective staff management to address the issue of shortage of staff.

During his visit, Naqvi also met with the staff of the passport and NADRA centres. He appreciated the performance of NADRA staff and encouraged them to continue providing efficient services to overseas Pakistanis. Pakistan’s High Commissioner Dr Mohammad Faisal was also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the interior minister visited the High Commission of Pakistan in London where High Commissioner Dr Muhammad Faisal welcomed him. Upon arrival at the high commission, Naqvi was introduced to the officers of the high commission.

The interior minister had a one-on-one with the high commissioner, and appreciated the services of the London mission under the leadership of the high commissioner. He also chaired a meeting where he directed that the issues of Overseas Pakistanis should be resolved on priority basis.

In this regard, he stressed the need for devising an efficient system based on modern technology. The interior minister noted that Pakistanis living abroad were the ambassadors of the homeland and no effort should be spared to solve their problems.

He instructed that every possible step be taken to support overseas Pakistanis, emphasising the need for innovative, out-of-the-box solutions instead of traditional methods. Naqvi also recorded his comments in the visitors’ book.

Last week, the minister had visited the Lahore Passport Office in Garden Town where he saw a troubling situation, as citizens voiced grievances about long queues, the prevalence of bribery, the dominance of mafia agents, and a backlog of complaints.

In response, Naqvi promptly replaced both the director and assistant director, while also initiating disciplinary proceedings against the latter. He engaged with citizens, assuring them of his commitment to addressing their grievances and personally investigating the matter.

He stressed the government's responsibility to ensure citizens' convenience. The citizens lauded the minister for his past exemplary work and expressed confidence in his ability to enhance the office's operations.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)