LAHORE, Sept 23: Passports and Immigration Director-General Sikandar Sultan Raja during a surprise visit to Faisalabad passport office on Monday got arrested 16 agents after smashing their kiosks.

The DG sought help from the Faisalabad district coordination officer who sent the AC City along with force. The DG under his supervision launched a crackdown on agents.

As the agents were in contact with the passport staff on cell phones, use of cell phone was banned during working hours by the staff. Two guards and as many staff members were directed to report to head office on account of their inefficiency.

Maintenance of record was pathetic. Office in-charge Yasir Ahmed was issued a final warning to segregate record to be preserved from that to be destroyed. Surprisingly a lot of record was lying on the rooftop totally destroyed by rains.

Around 8,633 passports were lying undelivered. The AD was admonished and warned to clear backlog within 15 days. As many as 1,200 expired passports were lying in the delivery section. The assistant director was directed to complete the process for their destruction.

The DG showed his complete dissatisfaction over the non-existence of facilitation desk and directed to establish it on the pattern of one set up at his headquarters.

Certain suspect cases were detected through computer and the office in-charge was asked to give his explanation. Keeping in view the applicants rush, one more counter for token/photograph and finger prints was ordered.