Pakistan is currently facing a concerning issue in its passport department, as reports suggest that they have run out of lamination paper for new passports, causing significant delays for applicants. This situation has serious repercussions for individuals who require passports for various reasons, such as traveling abroad for Umrah, medical treatment, or educational purposes.
The problem seems to have arisen due to inadequate measures taken by authorities to ensure a sufficient supply of lamination paper. This issue has persisted for a week with no clear sign of improvement, raising concerns that passport printing and delivery will be disrupted nationwide.
The consequence of this shortage is likely to be extended processing times for passport applications. For instance, it’s expected that even the delivery of passports with a normal processing fee may now take up to a month. This delay will undoubtedly pose hardships for applicants throughout the country, particularly those with urgent travel needs.
Despite the reported unavailability of lamination paper, new passport applications are still being accepted. This raises the risk of a growing backlog of pending passports due to printing problems, further exacerbating the situation.
The passport department has yet to issue an official statement addressing the matter, leaving applicants uncertain about when the lamination paper shortage will be resolved and how long these delays will persist. As a result, individuals in need of passports are encouraged to regularly check the passport department’s website for updates and further information.
