In the midst of Ramazan, a time marked by reduced daily passport applications, intending Umrah pilgrims find themselves ensnared in a frustrating wait for their travel documents. Normally bustling with around 4,000 daily applicants, Karachi’s passport offices witnessed a significant drop to 1,800 to 2,000 applications per day during this holy month.
Despite the decrease in new passport applications, individuals who had completed the necessary procedures before Ramazan continue to face prolonged delays in receiving their passports. Many of these waiting applicants are prospective Umrah performers, eager to embark on their spiritual journey.
Citizens recount visiting passport offices repeatedly, only to be informed that their passports remain unprinted, despite receiving SMS notifications indicating otherwise. Frustrations mount as the administration’s suggested solution involves opting for fast-track services at an additional cost rather than addressing the underlying delay issue.
Sources within the passport office attribute the delay to “technical” challenges, leading to disruptions in the timely delivery of normal passports. However, urgent and fast-track applications are being processed promptly, albeit at higher fees.
The standard 36-page passport, typically issued within 21 working days for Rs4,500, contrasts with the urgent variant issued in five days for Rs7,500, and the fast-track option with a two-day issuance period for Rs10,000. This fee discrepancy raises concerns among applicants facing delays.
This recent delay echoes past inefficiencies, such as the 2013 passport printing halt due to financial issues and a shortage of lamination paper. While authorities claimed to have resolved these problems in December, the current passport delays persist, highlighting systemic challenges in passport issuance and delivery.
The plight of Umrah aspirants underscores the need for sustainable solutions to streamline passport processing, ensuring timely delivery for all applicants, especially during significant religious periods.
