Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Director General Immigration and Passport (DGI&P) Yawar Hussain on Wednesday said that e-Passport is officially live now after which Pakistan now belongs to the league of nations who have e-Passport facility.
Director General said that at first stage this facility is for officials and diplomats as e-passports have been issued to two government officers and three diplomats on Wednesday.
However, he added, issuance of e-Passport to Pakistani citizens and expatriates is expected to commence soon.
Giving details about the e-Passport functions, the Director General said e-Passport is a highly secure travel document embedded with a microchip which contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of passport holder.
After 2004, this is the biggest up gradation of Pakistani travel documents and the e-passport holder would take benefit from the e-gate facility at all airports around the world, he added.
With the launch of the service, the country would become one of the many countries to have an electronic passport system, boosting security and smooth international travel, he said.
Yawar Hussain claimed that the new system will ease travel and will help the immigration department to curb corruption. The e-passports system is equipped with new features that can enhance security and ensure transparency.
The use of fraudulent documents is common place in Pakistan, which can be countered with the use of biometric information to link individuals to their passports. It will help reduce identity fraud and can be used at border control as well. The microchip in the passport will help retrieve passengers’ data and verify their images, which will also simplify the process of passport renewal, he added.
He said expats and tourists from countries that have already adopted e-passport systems will enjoy smooth travel to Pakistan as the country will renew its electronic infrastructure at local airports.
These minor but important advancements will support trade incentives and promote tourism in the country, he informed adding that similarly, Pakistani travelers will also benefit from the e-gate facility at airports around the world.
Director General Immigration maintained that the successful integration of e-passports into the mainstream system will help Pakistan transition towards digitalization and bring the country at par with other developed and technologically advanced countries.
