On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar rescinded the circular issued on June 5, 2024, which had suspended the issuance of passports to Pakistani nationals seeking asylum abroad, according to InShort News.
Dar made this announcement during a high-level meeting focused on the welfare of overseas Pakistanis. The meeting included key officials such as the foreign secretary, interior secretary, Director General of Immigration and Passports, and senior foreign ministry officers.
The interior secretary and DG Immigration and Passports provided Dar with a detailed update on the timely processing of passports for expatriates. They assured him that passports would now be issued within 60 days.
Previously, the Passport and Immigration Directorate, under Mohsin Naqvi’s directive, had imposed a ban on issuing passports to individuals seeking asylum in foreign countries. The Ministry of Interior had communicated that Pakistani citizens applying for asylum abroad would not be granted Pakistani passports.
