ISLAMABAD, Oct 12: The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has launched SMS (short message service) to facilitate the public in tracking their documents and passports.

For this, they have just to send an SMS containing their tracking number to 9988.

The automated system is programmed to respond in four different scenarios: an applicant would be informed about the box ID and shipment date for passport collection, about the status of passport if it is still in process after biometric verification.

The automated system will also inform about the deference of the case where the passport office requires more verification, and the response will also be received telling the applicant that an invalid token ID has been entered.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan inaugurated the SMS service at the ministry of interior on Saturday.

He said that the service would lessen the bureaucratic hurdles for the common man and using modern means of communication to ease the process of getting passports.

He also directed the DG passport to ensure delivery of ordinary passport in 10 days and the urgent passport within 4 days.

The service has become functional and the passport applicants could retrieve information on the status of their passport application as soon as they receive their tracking numbers.

This service shall be available to all the applicants who have applied for their passports since March 2013.

Director General passport, Sikander Sultan Raja, said that this was one of the key milestones in easing the process of receiving passports.

“The hassle for an individual to visit the passport office repeatedly will be erased with this service as the applicants can have updated information of their passport through the SMS,” DG passport said.

He also appreciated the efforts of his team and the support from other government departments to utilise the modern communication tools to provide relief to the common man.