The Dilemma of Pakistan’s Passport

With a population exceeding 250 million, Pakistan is among the world’s most populous nations and, as such, the demand for international travel documents remains high. Passports in Pakistan are issued by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, under the Ministry of the Interior of the federal government. Three types of passports – ordinary (green), official (blue), and diplomatic (red) – are issued, each valid for five or 10 years depending on the type and requirement.

Image source: ARY NEWS.

Over the years, Pakistan has made considerable advances in passport technology. From the early post- independence paper-based passports to the introduction of machine-readable passports (MRPs) in 2004, and more recently, the launch of biometric ePassports in 2022, the effort to align with international standards has been clear to see.