Pakistan's Passport Printing Backlog Soars to 700,000

A shortage of lamination paper in Pakistan has caused a backlog of 700,000 unprinted passports, leading to the suspension of new passport issuance for over a week.

Authorities are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of a much-needed lamination paper delivery, expected tomorrow.

Passport and Immigration officials have indicated that, once the delivery arrives, passport printing will continue even on weekends to expedite the process and provide relief to the affected citizens.

The delay in passport printing has had a significant impact on those looking to travel abroad, prompting caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti to intervene and instruct officials to prioritize the timely printing of passports.

Additionally, the official delivery times for passport issuance have been revised. Regular passport applications, which previously took a maximum of 10 days, are now extended to a maximum of 21 working days, reflecting the challenges posed by the lamination paper shortage.