Passport Office’s Quiet Delivery Time Change

Residents of Islamabad are expressing their growing frustration over extensive delays in passport issuance at the Executive Passport Office located in the city’s Blue Area. Amidst official claims of prompt processing, the experiences of applicants are narrating a contrasting tale.

The Directorate General of Immigration & Passports’ official website states that urgent passport issuance should occur within “five working days.” However, the accounts shared by individuals present a different reality.

One instance recounted by a ProPakistani employee highlights the magnitude of the issue. After opting for urgent processing and making the corresponding payment, the employee was informed by the office staff that his passport would take 10 days to be issued.

This timeline is marginally shorter than the conventional 15-day processing duration for regular passport applications. This situation prompts inquiries into the justification for differential fees when the processing time for both services seems remarkably similar due to the persistent delays.

Moreover, it’s pertinent to note that the receipt provided to ProPakistani’s employee initially stipulated a five-day processing period. Curiously, the Passport Office staff member crossed out the original timeframe and manually wrote “10 days.”

While occasional delays can be anticipated due to an upsurge in applications, the extension of an urgent request’s processing time by such a substantial margin poses considerable inconvenience to citizens, particularly those reliant on swift services during emergencies.

A disgruntled ProPakistani employee remarked, “This simply doesn’t make sense. I paid extra for urgent processing, and if the distinction between standard and urgent processing times is negligible, the purpose of having the ‘urgent’ option becomes questionable.”

The delays in passport issuance are not only testing citizens’ patience but also shedding light on the efficiency and transparency of the processes at the Passport Office. As citizens seek reliable and efficient services, the need for an immediate resolution to the issues plaguing the system is of paramount importance.