26 October 2004	Tuesday	11 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Oct 25: As many as 1,115 applications for new machine-readable passports (MRPs) were submitted on Monday with the five outlets of the passport office across the country.

Passport officials said the maximum 400 applications were filed at Lahore outlet, followed by Karachi (300), Peshawar (200), Islamabad (150) and Quetta (63), adding that 21 similar outlets would be set up across the country to facilitate the applicants.

They said 300 applicants were entertained at the outlet located at the Awami Markaz on the Sharea Faisal in Karachi. Some 197 application forms were approved and forwarded to Islamabad, while the remaining application were turned down due to objections.

According to the officials of the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra), they had the capacity to produce as many as 6,000 MRPs a day. Meanwhile, the officials said the old manual passport would remain valid till further orders.