As a patriotic citizen, I never wished to leave my country and so getting a passport made was really just a rite of passage but as I set foot in the passport office situated in Awami Markaz, things changed.
The condition of this particular government division is atrocious. There are all together six air conditioners installed out of which none works. The pedestal fans stand tall too but they are all aimed at the government officials and the public is left to rejoice in the scorching heat, sweat and body odour. The ride gets bumpier; the passageway is literally so narrow, people are forced to breathe into each other’s mouths. There are no separate quarters for females or seating arrangements for the elderly. To top it off the staff is rude and dismissive. The whole ordeal is exhausting, humiliating and incredibly sweaty.
They are literally coaxing the youth to grab hold of their passports and fly away to find better living standards, and never to come back. Because if this is Pakistan, I don’t want to be a Pakistani.
AAMNA AZIZ
Karachi