Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said that overseas Pakistanis across the world should be issued passports within seven days.

“Normal passport will be issued within 30 days and this policy will apply to all Pakistani missions abroad,” he said during his visit to the Passport and NADRA centres in London, United Kingdom on Sunday. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK Muhammad Faisal accompanied the minister.

He took notice of the delay in the issuance of passports to overseas Pakistanis, as normal passports were being issued in approximately four months while urgent in one and a half months.

“No delay will be tolerated anymore and action will be taken against non-issuance of passport within the stipulated time,” he said and established a monitoring cell to ensure delivery of passports within time.

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ASP Shehrbano, the personal staff officer to the interior minister, would head the cell.

Overseas Pakistanis would be able to complain at the email address: passport @ interior.gov.pk if they do not receive their passport within time.

Interior Minister Naqvi also interacted with Pakistanis present in the centres.

They appreciated NADRA’s performance and “no one complained” about it, upon which the minister congratulated the NADRA staff for their good performance.