CHITRAL: The local passport office remains virtually closed for last two weeks due to out of order electricity generator and absence of its in charge who is yet to assume charge after his transfer here some months ago.

A number of people outside the passport office told Dawn here the other day that they came to the city from distant villages of the district to get passports, but found the offices locked.

Some of them had come here along with female members of their families as every applicant has to come to the office to affix his or her thumb impression on the online application form.

Amir Khan from Torkhow valley complained that he intended to perform haj next year along with his mother and wife and had brought them to the passport office, but said he was asked to visit the office once again.

He said that each round to the city cost him more than Rs2,000.

Sharifullah from Koghuzi narrated similar story who was intending to perform umra with his family members and repeatedly visited the office along with them to get the passports, but to no avail each time.

He said that he knew about many persons who lost their foreign visas as they failed to get passports within the stipulated time and thus lost the opportunity of employment abroad.

Sources said that the in charge of the passport office didn’t come here even to take charge of his office during last couple of months.