Reports suggest that around 500,000 applications are 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.

Meanwhile, the officials of the passport office said that the lamination paper had arrived at the Karachi Port, however, it was not released due to clearance issues.

They warned of further delays in the issuance of passports in case the lamination paper stock was not released on time.

While the officials fail to clear the pending cases, the matter has worsened due to the submission of new applications for passports, adding to the already huge backlog of orders.