Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the authorities concerned to set up counters of passport issuing officers at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) centres across the country to facilitate the applicants.

The prime minister in this regard asked NADRA and the Directorate-General of Immigration and Passports to share their resources to materialise the collaboration.

Chairing a meeting on hassle-free access to passports and computerised national identity cards (CNICs), he said the step would not only facilitate the general public but also reduce the burden on national exchequer.

PM Shehbaz directed that all the previously approved new passport offices would be set up as counters at the NADRA centres.

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He also instructed to increase the number of mobile vans of NADRA to provide doorstep service to CNIC applicants.

For the renewal of CNICs, the meeting was informed that NADRA was set to launch a new mobile phone application for consumers.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Education Minister Rana Tanvir Hussain, NADRA chairman, the director general immigration and passports and other senior officials attended the meeting.