KARACHI: Passport application numbers have dropped sharply by nearly 50 percent across Pakistan’s Sindh province, including Karachi, reportedly due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, ARY News reported.Visa, Immigration and Citizenship Acquisition- All UpdatesAccording to data from passport offices, the number of applicants for both new passports and renewals has significantly declined, impacting overall revenue generated by the system.Officials noted that daily applications in Karachi have fallen from around 2,000 to between 800 and 900, while in other cities across Sindh, the figures have decreased from approximately 3,000 to nearly 1,200–1,500 per day.Sources attribute the decline to a reduction in the issuance of work and tourist visas, which has led to fewer citizens of Pakistan applying for travel documents.The passport system in Pakistan is managed by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports under the Ministry of Interior. The passport serves as an official identity and citizenship document required for international travel.Pakistan issues both ordinary and official passports, with validity periods of five or ten years, while minors under the age of 15 are issued five-year passports.Modern machine-readable passports are currently in use, offering enhanced security features. Applications can be submitted online or through designated passport offices and consulates. Authorities reiterated that a valid passport remains essential for international travel.Pakistan plans major changes to passport systemEarlier, Federal Interior Minister of Pakistan Mohsin Naqvi assigned the newly appointed Director General of Passport and Immigration, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, the task of implementing major reforms in the department.According to reports, the minister has directed authorities to digitise the passport and immigration system across Pakistan. The new DG has specifically been instructed to transform the entire system into a fully paperless operation.Mohsin Naqvi emphasised that public facilitation must remain the top priority, adding that reforms should focus on making services more efficient and accessible for citizens.