GUJRAT: Immigration and Passport Director General Usman Akhtar Bajwa has transferred nine staffers of the Gujrat passport office to different cities for their alleged corruption and misconduct.

Assistant Director Muhammad Hayat Tarrar said four staffers had been transferred to Lahore, two to Islamabad and one each to Jaranwala, Sargodha and Mandi Bahauddin.

Earlier, then assistant director Zulfiqar Ali Iqbal was transferred and also booked by the Federal Investigation Agency with some other officials on March 17 for several charges.Mr Tarrar told Dawn the transferred officials included data entry operators, a delivery clerk and a watchman.

He said the nine transfers had been made after intelligence reports but the vacant posts had been replaced with only seven officials due to which the office was facing the shortage of the staff. He said he had sought posting on the vacant positions. The office has 11 sanctioned posts.

The office has been witnessing an influx of passport seekers due to the Haj season. Usually, the office receives 300 to 400 applicants daily, which has gone up to 500 to 550.

Passport seekers are exploited at the Gujrat passport office by the agents in connivance with the officials. Applicants complain that even police officials manning the office would often mint money from them.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2017