Within the midst of Ramazan, a time marked by lowered each day passport functions, intending Umrah pilgrims discover themselves ensnared in a irritating wait for his or her journey paperwork. Usually bustling with round 4,000 each day candidates, Karachi’s passport places of work witnessed a major drop to 1,800 to 2,000 functions per day throughout this holy month.
Regardless of the lower in new passport functions, people who had accomplished the mandatory procedures earlier than Ramazan proceed to face extended delays in receiving their passports. Many of those ready candidates are potential Umrah performers, desperate to embark on their non secular journey.
Residents recount visiting passport places of work repeatedly, solely to learn that their passports stay unprinted, regardless of receiving SMS notifications indicating in any other case. Frustrations mount because the administration’s prompt resolution includes choosing fast-track companies at an extra price moderately than addressing the underlying delay subject.
Sources inside the passport workplace attribute the delay to “technical” challenges, resulting in disruptions within the well timed supply of regular passports. Nevertheless, pressing and fast-track functions are being processed promptly, albeit at greater charges.
The usual 36-page passport, usually issued inside 21 working days for Rs4,500, contrasts with the pressing variant issued in 5 days for Rs7,500, and the fast-track possibility with a two-day issuance interval for Rs10,000. This price discrepancy raises issues amongst candidates dealing with delays.
This current delay echoes previous inefficiencies, such because the 2013 passport printing halt resulting from monetary points and a scarcity of lamination paper. Whereas authorities claimed to have resolved these issues in December, the present passport delays persist, highlighting systemic challenges in passport issuance and supply.
The plight of Umrah aspirants underscores the necessity for sustainable options to streamline passport processing, guaranteeing well timed supply for all candidates, particularly throughout important non secular intervals.
