Alam Gul Haqqani appointed Passport Department head

KABUL (Pajhwok): MualviAlamGulHaqqani, who has been appointed as head of the Passport Department, directed the department officers to eliminate corruption.

This comes as passport distribution services had been stopped after the fall of Kabul into the hands of Taliban since August 15. However, a Pajhwok Afghan News report shows that some commissioners still illegally issue passports to people secretly for up to $1,600 each.

Meanwhile, the department said that security forces have arrested a number of individuals in connection to illegal issuance of passports.

A statement from the Passport Department received by Pajhwok Afghan News says that MuaviAlamGulHaqqani, is appointed as head of the department. He was introduced to the department officers today, Monday.

The source said that MulaviAlamGulHaqqani had directed the department workers about eliminating corruption and ensuring transparency in the service.

The statement said that Haqqani had served as civil aviation director, head of hotels enterprise, mayor of Paktia and Paktika provinces during the first Taliban regime as well as higher education commission head of the movement in the recent past.

Two days back, Passport Department had said that its services would resume in the near future and people would be able to obtain their passports by following legal procedures.

Mds/ ma