Pakistan is facing a backlog of 700,000 unprinted passports due to a shortage of lamination paper, according to ARY News. The issuance of new passports has been suspended for over a week as the country awaits the delivery of the necessary paper. Passport and Immigration officials stated that the lamination paper is expected to arrive on Friday, following which printing operations will continue over the weekend to clear the backlog.

Key Points:

1. The shortage of lamination paper has led to a suspension in the issuance of new passports in Pakistan, causing inconvenience to citizens planning to travel abroad.
2. Officials indicated that the delivery of lamination paper is anticipated on Friday, and efforts will be made to print passports over the weekend to address the backlog.
3. The backlog of unprinted passports is reported to have reached 700,000, prompting concerns among citizens and travelers.
4. Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti has taken notice of the situation and instructed officials to ensure the timely printing of passports to minimize the impact on citizens.
5. The shortage has affected the regular delivery schedule for passport issuance, prompting authorities to extend the maximum delivery time for regular passport applications from 10 days to 21 working days.
6. The backlog and delay in passport issuance have implications for individuals planning international travel, adding to the challenges faced by citizens.

As the lamination paper delivery is expected on Friday, officials aim to expedite the printing process during the weekend to alleviate the backlog and resume normal passport issuance operations.