Column of profession removed from Passport

The federal government removed column of profession from passport booklet on Friday. According to a notification issued by Directorate of Passport and Immigration, as per direction of the government, profession column has been removed from passport booklet. However, production of no objection certificate (NOC) from respective departments and declaring true profession is mandatory for government servants. The NOC is required to be produced during immigration while travelling abroad. No further action is required from those employees who have already corrected profession status on their passport, it says.
The notification says that on expiry of extended period, given date of two months, the defaulting officers and officials will be liable to punishment under section 06 of Passport Act, 1974.
The notification says that the federal government has also extended amnesty for two months for government officers and officials who obtained passport in private capacity being government employee in concealment of government service.
It says that the government officers/officials who obtained passport in concealment of profession and could not avail the policy announced by the government ended on July 23, are advised to visit passport office concerned along with NOC to get their passport data rectified and fresh passport issued, modifying profession as government service within two months of issuance of this letter and on payment of additional processing fee of Rs 5000.
The government officers/officials who obtained passport before the end of government service; a) their passports have been expired and they did not use the passport for travailing abroad during validity of passport may apply for issuance of passport as and when they are required to travel abroad, b) those who travelled within the validity of their passport after entry into government service without obtaining ex-Pakistan leave and NOC from their respective department shall have to get their profession amended on payment of additional processing fee of Rs 5000 and on production of NOC from their respective department, within two months of issuance of this notice.
The notification says that in case of employees of state-owned organisations eg. autonomous/semi autonomous, cooperation, companies etc where 'government service' is not printed on passport booklet, an interface has been developed through which necessary update in the system can be made without issuance of subsequent passport, subject to payment of processing fee of Rs 5000.