Some 500 visitors pass through awkward situations daily because of the hostile attitude of the staff at the passport offices here. Corruption and administrative bottlenecks, as a matter of fact, has put the whole system upside down at the passport offices, inviting troubles for the visitors instead of facilitating them.
The embarrassment being faced by the public on daily basis seems to be an endless ordeal, arising out of the unfriendly systematic hurdles at the passport offices. Those, who can afford to grease the palms of the staff at the passport offices, leaving the majority into lurch, as neither the system nor the hot weather is ready to support them free of cost.
According to a survey, conducted by Business Recorder, the present unprecedented loadshedding has proved last nail in the coffin, as the visitors are left with no option but to wait for hours before they are served by the highly inefficient staff at the passport offices.
Ironically, the generators, purchased by the passport office authorities to keep the system operational in such an awkward situations, are out of function due to non-availability of diesel. Officially, the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) is the agency to ensure supply of diesel to these generators at the passport offices.
But this arrangement is not in place at passport office at Abbot Road here. The cost of diesel to keep these generators is merely Rs 1, 500 per day.
Resultantly, many visitors from areas like Sheikhupura, Muridke, Kala Shah Kaku, Pattoki and Kasur situated at the outskirts of provincial metropolis are facing bravely not only the dysfunctional staff of the passport offices, but also the extremely hot weather conditions.
Interestingly, the management of the passport offices had automated the operations in recent past to speed up the service to the public at large. But this efficient approach has turned into a curse with announced and unannounced loadshedding spells, as the whole system collapses with the power break downs at Abbot Road. Since the diesel thirsty generators are out of order, therefore, the lethargic staff takes the situation as a best excuse to pass time at the expense of urgently needy passport seekers.
Majority of the visitors told Business Recorder that they were visiting the passport office, staying in long queues and facing shut down windows on their turn without knowing when they would get positive answer from the authorities. Purpose of the automation system was to minimise the manual handling to avoid corruption in the department, but the ongoing electricity shortage has washed away all such objectives of the higher management.
The visitors are again being trapped by the agents, actively pursuing the potential clientele on the behest of the Baboos, sitting inside the windows. Especially, the women and families are the favourite customers of all these commission agents, who are busy in making possible to something impossible. The visitors at the passport offices are of the view that the authorities concerned should take stock of the situation and minimise the hassles being faced by them daily.
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