KABUL (SW) – A number of passport applicants in Panjshir, Bamyan and Dainkadi say that they have been waiting for months to receive a passport.
Aminullah, a resident of Panjshir, who registered for a passport six months ago, told Salam Watandar that the slowness of the passport distribution process in this province causes him to miss educational opportunities outside of Afghanistan.
Pointing out that the process of distributing passports in Panjshir has stopped, he said: “We ask the Islamic Emirate to allow those who are sick and have scholarships to get passports as soon as possible. It has been six months since we registered, but until now we have not been given passports. I have registered for a scholarship, so I lose my chance.”
Ali, a resident of Daikundi who has the same problem as Aminullah, said: “From last year until now, my turn has not come, but it is heard that its distribution process has been stopped in Daikandi. It is worrying for us that we are missing out on educational opportunities. This process must be started again. We need a passport.”
Kia, a resident of Bamyan, said: “I have been trying to get my passport for the scholarship for a year and a half, but I failed to get a passport. This process is very slow. My nephew has the same problem.”
Officials in the General Directorate of Passports of the Ministry of Interior, rejecting the suspension of the process of distributing passports in a number of provinces, say that the distribution of passports is going on normally.
Nurullah Patman, the spokesperson of the General Directorate of Passports, told Salam Watandar: “There are many requests and hundreds of people have registered in the system. We perform according to the system. Passport offices are open in all provinces, but maybe in some provinces, the clients did not come on time, or it was during Eid days.”
Local officials in Panjshir, Daikundi and Bamyan, by broadcasting a newsletter, have confirmed the suspension of the passport distribution process in these provinces due to technical problems.
ENDS
