ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government announced on Monday it had reversed its earlier decision to deny passports to individuals who had sought asylum or were already living abroad on asylum, a press release said. 

Pakistan’s Directorate General of Immigration and Passports last month announced the government would no longer issue passports to Pakistanis who were seeking asylum abroad. According to local media reports, the directorate said that even the National Identity Cards of asylum-seekers would be blocked. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss important issues related to overseas Pakistanis. The meeting was attended by the foreign secretary, the secretary of interior and senior officials of the Ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs.

“The meeting discussed in detail the recent policy decision that was taken vide circular dated 5 June 2024 for not issuing passport to any individual who had sought asylum or already living on asylum abroad,” a press release by the government said. “It was decided to reverse the policy decision with immediate effect and to withdraw the circular of 5 June 2024.”

Participants of the meeting also discussed issues relating to delays in the issuance of passports to Pakistanis living abroad, the press release said. The officials briefed Dar about the government’s ongoing efforts to streamline the process of issuing passports.

“It was decided that the Ministry of Interior and IMPASS will take immediate necessary steps to upgrade the infrastructure/equipment within the next 45 days and to fast-track the clearance of the entire backlog relating to the issuance of passports to overseas Pakistanis,” it added. 

Naqvi last month took notice of complaints that it took overseas Pakistanis as much as four months to get their normal passports, while the urgent ones were being issued in one-and-a-half months, according to a report published by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster.

Naqvi had told officials to ensure that normal passports were issued within 30 days and the urgent ones were issued within a week, saying the policy would be applicable to all Pakistani missions abroad.