Lamination Paper Shortage Leaves Pakistani Citizens Passportless

In yet another sign of Pakistan's weakening economy, its citizens are currently facing difficulties to secure new passports due to a shortage of lamination paper.

Reports from Pakistani media highlight instances of significant delays, particularly affecting students racing against overseas admission deadlines.

Thousands of Pakistanis requiring passports for travel, whether for study, work, or leisure, find themselves stranded without a clear resolution in sight. One person, identified by the last name Gul, lamented, "I was ready to relocate to Dubai for work soon. However, the mismanagement of the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGI&P) appears to have jeopardized my escape from poverty and this country."

Expressing frustration, Hira, a prospective student heading to Italy, revealed, "My student visa for Italy was recently approved, and I had to be in the country by October. Yet, the unavailability of a passport has deprived me of this opportunity to leave."

This situation echoes past inefficiencies in Pakistan's passport issuance system. In 2013, a similar halt occurred due to the DGI&P's financial challenges with printers and a shortage of lamination papers.

Despite assurances from Qadir Yar Tiwana, the Director General for Media of the Ministry of Interior, that the situation will soon be under control, Pakistani residents remain skeptical. Faizan from Karachi stated, "I submitted my application over two months ago and have not received my passport yet," while Amir from Gulshan-e-Iqbal canceled his travel plans due to an undelivered passport.

Official estimates suggest that Karachi, receiving around 3,000 passport applications daily, is severely impacted. A senior officer in the Peshawar passport office disclosed that they can currently only process 12 to 13 passports daily, a significant drop from the previous 3,000 to 4,000 per day. The official noted that people may have to endure another month or two of delays.