Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai has revamped its consular services with the installation of hi-tech machines.
"Within a week's time, our mission will be the first Pakistan mission in the world to issue machine readable passports (MRPs) and machine readable visas (MRVs) in addition to a swift centre for the National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP)," said Imran Mirza, head of chancery at the Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai.
"The main objective of making the consulate hi-tech is to modernise our facilities according to new international standards and to control forgery of travel documents," he said.
New machines have been installed in the two main halls, and a separate section has been built to process applications for NICOP.
A team from the Directorate of Immigration and Passports (DIP) and the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) has been working at the consulate for several days to install these state-of-the-art systems.
Malek Manzoor Akhtar, Director of DIP who is leading the team, told Gulf News that the new systems are being installed to address the issues of national and international security as illegal human trafficking is the major threat to global security after 9/11.
"Our aim is to bring credibility, authenticity and respect to Pakistani passports. No one will be able to forge our passports because they incorporate special security features," he said.
The new passport, called 'e-passport', contains security features designed to check human trafficking and forgery. It has been introduced according to the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Authority.
People applying for the MRPS must have an NICOP card if living abroad.
"The new system requires every applicant to come in person to apply for the passport because digital pictures will be taken on the spot along with the applicant's data and fingerprints," said Akhtar.
Similarly, persons applying for Pakistani visas must also appear in person to complete formalities for machine readable visas.
"Our aim is to bring credibility, authenticity and respect to Pakistani passports."
Gulf News
