Pakistan plans to discontinue the issuance of machine-readable passports (MRPs) within a month and transition fully to electronic passports (e-passports), the federal government has informed the National Assembly.
The Ministry of Interior said that once the transition is complete, passport offices across Pakistan and Pakistani missions abroad will issue only e-passports. However, existing machine-readable passports will remain valid until their respective expiration dates.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced the timeline during the National Assembly’s Question Hour in response to a question raised by MNA Malik Shakir Bashir Awan. He said Pakistan was adopting the technology to keep pace with global immigration standards and technological developments.
According to the minister, e-passports contain an embedded electronic chip designed to strengthen document security and make forgery more difficult. However, he acknowledged that Pakistan’s large population and operational challenges at passport offices could affect the rollout. The government is working to complete the transition as soon as possible.