Business Desk
Aug 10, 2024
Amidst crippling inflation, Pakistanis have been grappling with the challenge of making ends meet, forcing many to postpone travel plans. The soaring costs of obtaining passports, visas, and tickets have pushed these expenses beyond the reach of many households.
However, residents of Balochistan can now obtain their passports for free. Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti announced that the provincial government has reached an agreement with the passport office to streamline this process for the public.
Also read: Updated passport fees in Pakistan 2024
Bugti stated, “The government will cover the cost of passports for the citizens.” He added that the government will also finance the Rs16,000 fee for Chaman residents to receive free digital passports through the one-document system.
It should be noted that people across Pakistan have been facing delays in the issuance of passports. The matter has also been raised in the National Assembly. Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, while acknowledging the “extraordinary” delays in the passport issuance process, revealed that the daily demand for passports has surged to 44,000, while only 25,000 to 26,000 are being processed each day in Pakistan.
Assuring lawmakers that the government is addressing this issue, the federal minister said, “With the software update, the number of passports issued daily is expected to reach 60,000 by September.”
