ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan has ended its 22-year practice of issuing machine-readable passports, with authorities set to issue only e-passports to citizens across the country from today.
According to officials, machine-readable passports issued previously will remain valid until their expiry dates. However, they will not be eligible for renewal once their validity expires.
The issuance of e-passports in Pakistan began in March 2022, initially for diplomats and residents of Islamabad.
In August 2023, all Pakistani citizens were given the option to obtain either a machine-readable passport or an e-passport.
Before the introduction of machine-readable passports, Pakistan had been issuing handwritten passports since the country’s independence.