Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The federal government has appointed Mohammad Ali Randhawa, a Grade-20 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, as the new Director General of the Passport and Immigration Department. A formal notification of his appointment has been issued.Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has assigned the newly appointed DG an extensive reform agenda, directing him to introduce improvements at every level of the passport and immigration system. Randhawa assumed charge of his office on Thursday.Speaking after taking charge, DG Mohammad Ali Randhawa said that, in accordance with the interior minister’s directions, the reform process across the department would be completed as soon as possible. He announced that the passport and immigration system would be fully digitized nationwide, ensuring a paperless environment to enhance efficiency and transparency.Randhawa said that improving public convenience and service delivery would remain the top priority of the department. He added that Artificial Intelligence (AI) would be integrated into identity verification mechanisms to curb the issuance of fake passports and strengthen security protocols.He further stated that the process of passport renewal for overseas Pakistanis would be made faster and more user-friendly. Modern solutions will also be introduced to address the problems faced by Pakistanis abroad on a priority basis.Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi emphasized that public facilitation must remain the foremost consideration in all reforms carried out within the passport and immigration system.
