Residents of northern Kunduz province have raised concerns over the slow process of passport distribution in the area. Many have reported long waits with little progress on their applications.
Some sources have indicated that the delays are due to a shortage of passports at the provincial passport department. “Over the past several days that I have come to the Passport Department to process my documents, I have found that the quota allocated by the General Passport Department to Kunduz province is insufficient,” said Mohammad Omar, an applicant. “I request the General Directorate of Passports to address this issue.”
Abdul Ghani, another applicant, echoed this sentiment, urging the General Directorate of Passports at the Ministry of Interior to increase the passport quota for Kunduz residents.
The number of passport applicants is reportedly in the thousands. However, employees at the Kunduz passport department stated that they can only process about 100 applications per day. “The people who want a passport should not come to the department but instead should apply online. Whenever their turn comes, they will be called in,” said Mohammad Essa, an employee of the department.
This issue is not unique to Kunduz. Since the Taliban’s takeover, many provinces have experienced similar challenges. Citizens have frequently expressed their desire to leave the country due to a lack of job opportunities and increasing poverty.
