ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to discontinue the issuance of machine-readable passports (MRPs) within a month and shift entirely to electronic passports (e-passports), according to Interior Ministry officials.
Under the planned transition, passport offices across the country and Pakistani missions abroad will issue only e-passports once the new system takes effect.
However, existing machine-readable passports will remain valid until their respective expiry dates, officials said.
The move is part of the government’s efforts to modernise Pakistan’s passport system in line with evolving international travel and immigration requirements.
E-passports contain an embedded electronic chip that stores the holder’s biometric and personal information, allowing authorities to verify identities more securely and helping reduce the risk of forgery and passport fraud.
Officials said the transition was necessary as electronic passport technology has become increasingly common in international travel systems. The shift is expected to bring Pakistan’s passport services in line with modern security standards and changing global immigration practices.
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