A state-of-the-art monitoring system named SHIKRA has been formally launched to ensure end-to-end oversight of passport applications, enabling real-time monitoring from submission to final delivery.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi inaugurated the new system during his visit to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, where he reviewed passport applications, printing operations and overall departmental performance.
Speaking on the occasion, Naqvi said Pakistan’s passport system has now been aligned with those of leading countries worldwide. He stated that the new system will allow real-time monitoring of passport applications and deliveries both within Pakistan and abroad, ensuring oversight at every stage of the process.
The interior minister said the government’s objective is to provide citizens with fast, secure and internationally standardised services. He added that the advanced monitoring mechanism will further improve the performance and efficiency of the passport department.
Naqvi noted that the security features of Pakistani passports have been upgraded in line with ICAO standards. He said the introduction of modern automated German machines has increased production capacity and completely eliminated human intervention in the passport printing process.
During the visit, the interior minister toured the e-monitoring room, call centre, forensic lab and modern production unit. Officials informed him that a digital integrated dashboard will be used to monitor daily operations and staff performance, while the new system will also automatically identify crowding at passport offices.
The briefing further stated that the network management system will monitor backlogs and machinery status. A 24/7 monitoring room and call centre have also been made operational at the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports.
On the interior minister’s directive, the emergency travel document system has also been digitised. Naqvi was given a detailed briefing on the Secure Hybrid Intelligence for Knowledge-Based Response Analytics (SHIKRA) system.
Mohsin Naqvi praised the Director General of Immigration and Passports and his team for introducing a technology-driven monitoring system and improving service delivery.
