Some people in Afghanistan have been obtaining fake illness documents against money to apply for the passport, following the strict measures issued by the Taliban in which only sick persons, government employees and sportsmen are eligible for the passport.
According to Pajhwok Afghan News, after the political change in Afghanistan in August 2021, the passport distribution process was stopped but it was resumed on September 5, last year in Kabul.
Passport Director Alam Gul Haqqani had said that a new passport forms will be distributed only to sick persons, government employees and sportsmen only.
Last week, the Taliban suspended the process of issuing passports to applicants in Kabul.
Shafiullah Tasal, a spokesman for the Central Passport Department had told Pajhwok Afghan News that the distribution of passports in the capital had been suspended as per directives of the Ministry of Interior.
The Taliban earlier had said that Afghan passport applicants should apply online to avoid overcrowding.
A Pajhwok report quoted Passport Director Alam Gul Haqqani as saying a new online form had been designed, invalidating the previous one.
Earlier in December 2021, the passport-issuing process in Afghanistan commenced in 14 more provinces, taking the total to 32 at present.
Afghans in Kabul desperately need passports and are eagerly waiting for the passport office to reopen.
As revealed by the passport department, over 125,000 passports have been issued so far since the reopening of offices in Afghanistan, reported Tolo News.
( With inputs from ANI )
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