According to sources at NetMag, the DG of Immigration and Passport Offices has written to the Collector of Customs, requesting the clearance of production consumables/ink cartridges on a deferred payment basis. The letter claims that the department’s inability to clear consignments promptly is due to either a lack of funds or delays in processing claims related to customs duties and taxes. This situation, they assert, is causing significant disruptions in maintaining passport operations.
However, sources informed NetMag that the passport office’s claim might not be entirely accurate. Despite reporting financial constraints, the office reportedly spent over Rs. 60 million on building renovations last month and collected millions of rupees from up to 600,000 passport applicants in recent months.
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Additionally, the directorate has informed the customs collectorate about an imminent consignment of ink cartridges expected to arrive at Islamabad International Airport on July 28, 2024. The directorate has requested urgent clearance from the Customs Collector for this consignment.
It is important to note that the delayed dispatch of the required ink by the vendor has already resulted in a backlog of passports, which could potentially escalate into a national crisis. During the last fiscal year, approximately 6.4 million Pakistanis applied for new passports, marking a 61 percent increase from the previous year.
To prevent further delays and avoid a potential crisis, the Directorate General has requested permission to clear the aforementioned consignment on a deferred payment basis. They have committed to settling the customs duties and taxes within 15 days from the release of the consignments by customs authorities.
Sources also speculated that the passport office might be creating these funding issues deliberately to further an agenda to convert the Directorate into an authority.
