In pursuance of Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi’s mission to resolve the issues confronting the Passport Office, the Ministry of Finance has released funds for the office, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.

Quoting its sources, the channel reported that the Passport and Immigration Department had placed an advertisement in international publications for the purchase of six desktop printing machines and two e-passport machines.

Similarly, they informed that an ad had also been published for the purchase of lamination papers used in the printing of passports.

Sources expressed the hope that soon the required machinery and papers would be purchased and the backlog of passports would be cleared.

They disclosed that currently the office was not only understaffed, but was also faced with a shortage of printing machines and lamination papers.

They informed that against 40,000 to 45,000 applications for the issuance of passports received by the office daily, only 20,000 to 25,000 passports were printed.

Sources revealed that right now the office was busy printing the passports for which applications had been received in January.

Reporter: Awais Kiani