The National Assembly discussed the issue of delays in Pakistani passport issuance on Tuesday. The discussion arose in response to a call attention notice from Pakistan People's Party (PPP) member Aga Rafiullah.

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar acknowledged the delays and stated that the government is working to expedite the process. He highlighted the current demand for passports, which has reached 44,000 per day, while only 25,000 to 26,000 passports are being issued daily.

Tarar mentioned that software updates are underway, and the daily issuance capacity is expected to increase to 60,000 by September. He admitted the delays were "extraordinary" and assured that the government is addressing the concerns raised.

Earlier reports indicated that passport applicants faced delays due to a shortage of black ink required for printing. The passport office had requested the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to expedite the clearance of a shipment of black ink, warning of a potential printing crisis if the shipment was not cleared. The office also requested the FBR to defer tax payments on the import of the ink, which had contributed to the shipment's delay.