DURING a recent visit to the passport office in Lahore’s Garden Town area, I witnessed a large number of people, even including elderly citizens, standing in long queues, appearing confused and frustrated due to the absence of proper guidance. Unfortunately, the information desk remained vacant for extended periods, leaving visitors without any kind of assistance.

Moreover, several service counters were ‘closed’, and only three counters were operational at the time. When approached, a senior official at the centre informed me that the office was currently facing a shortage of staff, and that was affecting the smooth processing of passport applications.

The most troubling aspect of the situation was the lack of an organised system anywhere in sight. People had to wait for hours in queues, while some influential individuals were reportedly able to bypass the queue through personal references.

The government should introduce a comprehensive digital portal through which citizens could book appointments with specific time slots. This would allow applicants to arrive at their designated time rather than having to spend hours waiting in queues. Such a system would reduce overcrowding, improve trans-parency and minimise the influence of intermediaries who exploit the system for personal gains.

Digitalisation has the potential to make public services more efficient, accessible and fair to all citizens without any bias. Implementing an online appointment system for passport services would be a much-needed and significant step towards improving governance and restoring public confidence in state institutions.

Muhammad Anique Butt
Lahore

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2026