Pakistan embassy in Muscat restores passport services after global outage

Services halted after technical glitch

Last updated:
Khitam Al Amir, Chief News Editor
Pakistan Embassy in Muscat announces resumption of passport services
Pakistan Embassy in Muscat announces resumption of passport services
IANS

Passport services at the Pakistan Embassy in Muscat have resumed after a week-long suspension caused by a technical fault at headquarters in Islamabad, offering relief to expatriates in Oman.

Syed Naveed Safdar Bokhari, Pakistani Ambassador to Oman, said all passport-related services, including renewals and new issuances, restarted on Wednesday under a walk-in system.

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“Applicants can now visit the embassy to process their passport applications. There are no appointments. It’s a walk-in system. We issue tokens and handle more than 100 applications per day,” the ambassador said.

Services had been halted since April 29 due to a system failure that affected Pakistani missions worldwide, including several in the Gulf region.

The disruption left many overseas Pakistanis facing difficulties with travel, visa and residency requirements, with embassies in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia also impacted.

The embassy has advised applicants to visit during official working hours as normal operations resume.

Khitam Al Amir
Khitam Al AmirChief News Editor
With over 30 years of journalistic experience spanning from Jordan to the UAE, Khitam has spent the past 22 years reporting on national and regional news from Dubai, with a strong focus on the UAE, GCC and broader Arab affairs. As Chief News Editor, she brings extensive expertise in delivering breaking and engaging news to readers. Beginning her tenure as a translator, she advanced through roles as Senior Translator and Chief Translator before transitioning to editorial positions, culminating in her current leadership role. Her responsibilities encompass monitoring breaking news across the UAE and the broader Arab region, ensuring timely and accurate dissemination to the public.​ Born into a family of journalists, Khitam's passion for news was ignited early in life. A defining moment in her youth occurred in September 1985 when she had the opportunity to converse with the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during her visit to a Palestinian refugee camp north of Amman. During this encounter, Khitam shared her family's experiences of displacement from their home in Palestine and their subsequent refuge in Jordan. This poignant interaction not only deepened her understanding of geopolitical issues but also solidified her commitment to pursuing a career in journalism, aiming to shed light on the stories of those affected by regional conflicts. Khitam’s commitment to accurate and timely reporting drives her to seek out news that interests readers, making her a trusted source for news on the UAE and the broader Gulf region.
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