Interior Minister Naqvi suspends Lahore passport office officers over mess
Pakistan
Announces swift issuances of learner's licence for students
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has taken a decisive action against corruption during his visit to the passport office in Lahore's Garden Town, suspending the director and assistant director.
He has also directed stern action against the wrongdoers.
The minister conducted a visit to the passport office on Monday, where he encountered evidence of bribery, delays and the influence of agent mafia in passport processing on complaints of citizens.
During his visit, citizens presented proof of payments to agent mafia for expediting passport applications, lamenting that corruption was rampant in the office - from security personnel to administrative staff.
When questioned, passport office officials failed to provide satisfactory explanations, leading Naqvi to express his frustration and blame the administration for the corruption.
Asserting the government's responsibility to facilitate citizens and address their grievances, Naqvi emphasised the need to tackle technical issues and corruption in passport issuance.
He assured citizens that while resolving these issues might take time, passports would eventually be issued efficiently, citing the suspension of incompetent officials as a step towards reform.
Issuance of driving licences for higher education students
The interior minister announced plans to streamline the process of giving licences to college and university students by enabling them to acquire these with the assistance of their teachers, eliminating the need for office visits.
Naqvi pledged to provide at-home services for those aged 70 or older seeking driving licences.
In his commitment to improving urban infrastructure, Naqvi vowed to take disciplinary action against those failing to provide adequate parking facilities outside buildings. He also emphasised the importance of implementing signal-free traffic system to alleviate congestion.
Naqvi underscored his determination to combat drug trafficking and remove encroachments from Islamabad.
