The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (I&P) has formally requested an extension for its current head, Mustafa Jamal Kazi, sparking fresh controversy amid ongoing scandals and public anger.
According to sources, the Directorate — on Kazi’s own instructions — has written to the Ministry of Interior (MoI), asking for his deputation to be extended. The MoI has been urged to forward the case to the Establishment Division for processing.
The timing of the move has raised eyebrows. Even if granted, Kazi would retire in May 2026, leaving him less than eight months in office.
While Kazi’s tenure has seen some progress, such as digitizing passport services and opening new regional offices, these gains have been overshadowed by severe delays that have affected millions of passport applicants — including those who paid for urgent or executive processing. Waiting times have stretched into weeks, causing widespread frustration.
The controversy deepened after a damning audit report by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) accused the Directorate under Kazi of mismanagement and policy violations. Among the key findings: 46 officers who completed their foreign postings never returned home, yet continued to receive full salaries, allowances, and benefits.
Insiders say Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is dissatisfied with Kazi’s performance, particularly his failure to act on official orders issued on February 29, 2024, regarding foreign postings of passport officers. The lapse has undermined both local and overseas passport operations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has also repeatedly flagged staffing shortages at Pakistani missions abroad, crippling Machine Readable Passport (MRP) services for overseas Pakistanis.
“Despite repeated reminders, the Directorate failed to make the required postings, paralyzing MRP operations in several missions abroad,” a MOFA official told this scribe.
With audit scandals, operational breakdowns, and public discontent piling up, observers say the real test now is whether Interior Minister Naqvi will sign off on Kazi’s extension — or move toward fresh leadership to overhaul the troubled department.
Attempts to seek official comment from the Ministry of Interior spokesperson went unanswered until the filing of this report.