ISLAMABAD: The longstanding issue of passport printing delays in Pakistan is expected to be resolved soon with the arrival of 10 advanced desktop passport printing machines from abroad. These new machines are set to be operational by the first week of November, according to official sources, and will double the country’s current passport printing capacity.
Currently, approximately 22,000 passports are printed each day, but with the new equipment, this number is projected to increase to around 50,000 daily, effectively addressing the high demand for both new and renewed passports. Pakistan receives about 50,000 passport applications daily from citizens nationwide, highlighting the urgent need for increased processing capabilities.
Recently, concerns regarding passport issuance delays were raised in the National Assembly. Responding to a call-to-attention notice by Pakistan People’s Party’s Aga Rafiullah, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar acknowledged the backlog. He noted that while demand has surged to 44,000 passports per day, only 25,000-26,000 are currently being printed. The government, he assured, is prioritizing efforts to expedite the passport issuance process and meet the rising demand.
The deployment of these high-capacity printing machines is anticipated to bring substantial relief to applicants and improve the overall efficiency of passport services across the country.
