The federal government has decided to implement major reforms in the passport system in the country and has approved the phased elimination of machine-readable passports and the complete adoption of the e-passport system. According to Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, this step is being taken to improve travel facilities in line with modern security requirements and international standards.
Chairing a meeting held at the National Passport and Immigration Headquarters, the Interior Minister said that the implementation of the e-passport system will not only eliminate forgery and fraud but also provide citizens with fast and easy immigration facilities at airports.
The Director General of Passports and Immigration gave a detailed briefing to the meeting on the ongoing reform measures. The meeting approved the e-passport system in principle, however, no final date was set for the complete elimination of old passports.
An e-passport is a modern digital document that includes an electronic chip that stores the biometric and identity data of a citizen. The system has been developed in accordance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
According to officials, after the implementation of this system, Pakistani passport holders will be able to benefit from the e-gate facility in different countries of the world, which will make the immigration process faster and more efficient.
It was also decided in the meeting that from July 1, a cashless system will be implemented in all passport offices across the country, with the aim of making the payment process transparent and easy.
The Interior Minister further said that the initial work has been completed on the launch of the passport home delivery service for citizens, after which the applicants will be given the facility to deliver the passport to their homes.
According to officials, the Pak ID platform is being upgraded to further improve the online application process, while work is also underway to finalize the business passport policy for the business community.
Experts say that these reforms are an important step towards modernizing Pakistan’s passport system, which will not only increase transparency but also significantly improve travel facilities for the public.