Zubair Qureshi
While taking notice of the persistent complaints of irregularities, malpractices, inordinate delays and unsatisfactory facilities at the Passport Offices and inconvenience being faced by the general public, WafaqiMohtasibEjaz Ahmad Qureshi has directed inspection of the Passport Offices by the WafaqiMohtasib’s inspection teams.
These teams will visit the passport offices in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar and other major cities and look into the complaints and after examining/reviewing the entire situation they would recommend urgent remedial measures.
According to the WafaqiMohtasib Secretariat it may be recalled that MrQureshi had in the past taken suomoto notice of such complaints against the delay in issuance of passports and sent an inspection team to the Passport Office Islamabad to ascertain the causes of the delay and ensure of the efficient delivery services there.
The Compliance Report submitted by the Passport Office as a follow-up was termed as unsatisfactory and lacking in substance by the WafaqiMohtasib.
In the wake of fresh complaints, the WafaqiMohtasib has once again taken the notice and directed the sections concerned to visit and look into the matter.
Overseas Pakistanis are the worst sufferers in the entire episode as in a number of cases either their visas expired or they have been unable to join their jobs abroad owing to this state of affairs.
The same is the case with those who wanted to proceed abroad for higher studies or family visits etc.
The WafaqiMohtasib said that the elements found responsible for creating artificial shortages and indulging in malpractices and other irregularities need to be exposed and be dealt with an iron hand to ensure that things would run smoothly in the respective Passport Offices.
‘’The Passport Office must put its house in order with a view to ensuring efficient delivery of services to the people, for which they pay to the organization regularly and frequent breakdowns in this connection are unfortunate and absolutely unacceptable’’, he observed.
