Pakistan has stopped issuing machine-readable passports (MRPs), and only e-passports will be issued to citizens across the country from today, bringing to an end a system that ran for 22 years.
Officials said MRPs already issued will remain valid until their expiry dates. They cannot be renewed once that period ends. The government introduced e-passports in March 2022, initially for diplomats and residents of Islamabad.
In August 2023, the facility was extended to all citizens, who could choose between an MRP and an e-passport. Before the MRP system, Pakistan issued handwritten passports, a practice that began with the creation of the country.
Officials said the transition is aimed at modernizing passport services and bringing the security and efficiency of Pakistan’s travel documents in line with international standards.