Afghanistan: Passport department remains shut, trouble for many Afghans

Several people who were seeking to leave Afghanistan for medical treatment and other facilities, gathered outside the passport department in Kabul. People complained about the passport department being closed and said that despite repeated promises to resume the operations of the department, the passport office is yet to open.

Many people who had gathered outside the closed passport office were among those who study abroad, work outside Afghanistan and the ones who are patients and have to leave the country to get medical attention, TOLOnews reported.

Pacha Gul, who travelled to Kabul from Paktia, southeastern province of Afghanistan said, "My Passport has expired, I have to go to Peshawar in Pakistan. I paid 700 dollars for only one gate pass, for the consulate. But the process doesn't work there either and when I came here, the department is closed."

He said that he worked in Saudi Arabia. But now he is unable to travel because his passport stands expired.

Shafiq Hamdam, a university student said, "Let the passport department be opened. Some are medical patients here, some are having trade problems and some are facing educational problems."

Rostam Amerkhil, who is a resident of Afghanistan's Wardak province urged the passport office to be reopened as it was causing trouble to the people.

"Everything is connected to the passport if they want to leave the country or stay. Let the passport office be open, don't cause trouble for people," Amerkhil said.

The Interior Ministry of the Taliban-led government said that the department would resume its activities soon.

"Decisions have been taken in this regard. The process will begin soon," said Sayed Khosti, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry.

The upcoming cabinet meeting of the Taliban-led government would discuss the passport department's activities, said TOLOnews quoting a source in the passport department.

(ANI)

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