ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has announced a new policy suspending the issuance of passports to Pakistani citizens seeking asylum abroad.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced this decision, emphasizing its importance for national security and safety.
The Ministry has directed all relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to enforce this policy.
The directive specifies that any Pakistani citizen granted asylum in another country will be ineligible for a passport. Passports held by such individuals will be revoked and will not be renewed. For example:
This decision is expected to significantly impact Pakistani citizens seeking refuge abroad, potentially hindering their ability to travel and access essential services.
Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has taken proactive measures to tackle the persistent issue of delays in passport issuance for overseas Pakistanis, issuing a directive for the expedited processing of urgent passports within a strict timeframe of seven days.
During his visit to passport and NADRA centers in London, Minister Naqvi acknowledged the challenges faced by overseas Pakistanis due to prolonged wait times for passport issuance.
In response, he unveiled a new policy aimed at ensuring that regular passports are processed and issued within 30 days for Pakistanis residing abroad.
This new policy is set to be enforced across all Pakistani missions worldwide, marking a significant departure from the previous delays of up to four months for regular passports and 1.5 months for urgent passports experienced by overseas Pakistanis.
Expressing firm resolve, Naqvi emphasized that any delays in passport issuance are deemed unacceptable, pledging to hold accountable any officials found to be non-compliant with the stipulated timeframe.
To oversee the effective implementation of the expedited passport issuance process, Naqvi established a dedicated monitoring cell led by PSO ASP Shehrbano.
During his interactions with overseas Pakistanis at the centers, Minister Naqvi received commendations for the performance of NADRA, with no complaints reported. Encouraged by this positive feedback, Naqvi praised the efforts of NADRA staff.
Recognizing the staffing shortages at passport and NADRA centers as a key impediment, Naqvi instructed officials to devise and implement robust staff management strategies to alleviate the issue and ensure seamless service delivery.
Moreover, Minister Naqvi engaged directly with passport and NADRA staff, underscoring the critical importance of adhering to the prescribed timeframe for passport issuance.
