Pakistan has taken a major step toward digital governance with the launch of the Shikra passport system, a modern and technology-driven platform designed for real-time passport tracking and performance monitoring. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi formally inaugurated the system during his visit to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports in Islamabad.
The newly introduced Shikra passport system allows authorities to monitor passport applications, printing processes, and delivery status instantly, both within Pakistan and at overseas missions. As part of this major upgrade, a 24/7 monitoring room and a fully functional call centre have also been established to improve transparency and public facilitation.
Officials briefed the interior minister on the Secure Hybrid Intelligence for Knowledge-Based Response Analytics system, commonly known as Shikra, explaining how it integrates data from multiple departments into a digital dashboard. This dashboard enables daily operational oversight, tracks staff performance, and detects issues such as office crowd levels, machine faults, and application backlogs automatically.
On the minister’s instructions, the Emergency Travel Document issuance system has also been fully digitised, eliminating delays and manual bottlenecks. Mohsin Naqvi praised the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports for adopting advanced technology and said Pakistan’s passport services are now aligned with international best practices.
He emphasized that the goal of the government is to provide citizens with fast, secure, and globally standardized services. According to the minister, every stage of the passport process, from application submission to final delivery, will now be closely supervised using real-time data.
The interior minister also highlighted significant upgrades in passport security features, stating that they now meet ICAO international standards. He noted that newly installed automatic German printing machines have increased production capacity, removed human intervention from the printing process, and improved overall reliability.
During the visit, Mohsin Naqvi toured the e-monitoring room, forensic laboratory, call centre, and the modern production unit, expressing satisfaction over the department’s improved efficiency and service delivery model.
