The people of Muzaffargarh are highly thankful to their government for the establishment of a passport-issue office here. But unfortunately despite the passage of about a year since its inception, its working is yet to be streamlined. It is housed in a remotely situated street where its location is not even publicly marked by any signboard. Come rain or shine, the applicants are made to stand outside in the narrow street to suffer the vagaries of the elements.
Only one day a week, Thursday, is reserved for receiving the applications. The computers here are not looked after properly as no stabilisers are attached to them so that they burn out frequently as is the case currently. Some of the other deficiencies here are: no system for turn-wise calls for interviews, no functioning telephone inquiry number, no notice-board outlining instructions for applicants’ guidance, and lack of any public seating facility.
Worst of all, absolutely no concern is shown to the senior citizens who are made to suffer the frantic hassle that generally prevails here. The net result of all this is that the applicants are forced to seek the assistance of the ubiquitous passport agents who are said to be in league with the passport office staff and for an extra large fee and are always ready to help the harried applicants. And that means huge private money pouring regularly into the pockets of the passport staff. The worthy Interior Minister, Mr Rehman Malik, is requested to order rectification of the pandemonium prevailing at the Muzaffargarh passport office immediately.
JAN MUHAMMAD
Muzaffargarh
