ISLAMABAD: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Tuesday informed the National Assembly that new machinery and software would be installed to increase the printing capacity of passports upto 60,000 per day by the end of September.

In response to a ‘Calling Attention Notice’ moved by PPP members in the assembly regarding delays in issuance of passports, the minister expressed optimism that the introduction of the new system would also help clear the existing backlog of the applications.

He said during the previous PDM government, orders were issued for the import of the new system and the process had continued under the interim government.

The minister said the present system was installed in 2004 having the capacity of printing upto 26,000 passports per day. However, the number of applications had increased manifold in the past 20 years.

Moreover, he said that the number of Pakistani missions had increased from 20 to 92 and some 300 centres had been established in the country to receive the applications.

He assured the National Assembly that the issue would be resolved by the end of September.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2024