The Federal Ombudsman has directed the passport offices in Islamabad to return the urgent fee of passports over delayed issuance.

A team of the FO visited passport offices located in the G-8 and G-10 areas of the capital city on Monday.

During the visit, the team reprimanded the director general of passports for delays in the issuance of passports despite citizens paying urgent fees.

The ombudsman directed the secretary interior to assess the condition and take measures to end the backlog in the timely issuance of passports.

It also ordered the officials at the G-10 office to enhance the management at the office.

Last month, a shortage of lamination paper in Pakistan resulted in delays in the issuance of passports across the country including Karachi.

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Reports suggested that around 500,000 applications were pending at the office for renewal or issuance of passports due to a shortage of lamination paper.

Citizens said that the passports were not being issued and they were asked to wait for weeks despite paying urgent fees.

In November 2022, the Directorate General Immigration and Passports (DGIP) launched an online passport-fee app all across the country to enable millions of citizens to pay their fees without having to stand in bank queues.