NAROWAL: Passport applicants allege that the local officials only facilitate those who come with the reference of agents.

Scores of applicants thronged the regional passport office on Wednesday. The authorities called the police to control them. Many applicants were injured due to a baton charge by the police. The majority of applicants claim to have been picked for a Korean visa through a lottery.

Among them were Khurram Shahzad and Abdul Razzaq. They told Dawn that the agents charge Rs5,000 to 10,000 per passport to facilitate them in the process. They alleged that only those people are allowed into the passport office who are cleared by the agents. The practice angered the applicants, who protested against the passport officials. Some protesters vandalized windowpanes and the signboard of the regional passport office.

Several women were also among the protesters.

After the video of the police action and pushing of people at the passport office surfaced on social media, Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ashraf paid a visit to the location and directed authorities to address the complaints. He instructed the deputy director to keep the agent mafia away from the public.

Applicants Ghulam Nabi and Anjum Ali said that they wanted to travel to Korea for employment, but the officials and agents wanted to mint money from them.

Passport office’s Assistant Director Ghulam Rasool Pasha denied any collaboration with agents.

Applicants asked the prime minister to take note of the situation.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2023