09/05/2026
Human Rights Protection Foundation (HRPF) Raises Serious Concerns and Demands Immediate Relocation of Passport Office to District Complex in Mandi Bahauddin
The Human Rights Protection Foundation expresses its appreciation for the establishment of the District Complex in Mandi Bahauddin, which was developed to facilitate public access to essential government services under one administrative zone. The initiative reflects a progressive and citizen-friendly approach by the authorities.
At present, the District Complex accommodates almost all major provincial government departments, the district judiciary and courts, the Regional Office of the Punjab Ombudsman, and the District Headquarters Hospital. In addition, the general bus terminal and vegetable market have also been relocated near the same complex. This integrated administrative and public service structure has significantly improved convenience for the residents of the district and surrounding rural areas.
The Human Rights Protection Foundation acknowledges this development as an important step toward administrative efficiency, accessibility, and public welfare.
However, it is deeply concerning that the Passport Office of Mandi Bahauddin has been established outside the main District Complex area, inside a private housing society and at a considerable distance from the central public service zone. This decision has created serious hardships for ordinary citizens, particularly daily wage earners, laborers, senior citizens, women, patients, and residents from remote villages.
Since the main transport terminal has already been shifted outside the city, reaching the Passport Office now requires additional travel expenses and time. In the current period of inflation and economic hardship, these extra costs have become unbearable for many poor and deserving citizens. Access to passport services is not a luxury but a basic administrative necessity connected with employment, education, medical treatment, overseas travel, and legal identity documentation.
Several political, social, and civil society representatives have also expressed strong reservations regarding the current location of the Passport Office and have demanded immediate corrective measures in the public interest.
The Human Rights Protection Foundation has formally conveyed its concerns to the relevant higher authorities and emphasized the seriousness of the matter. HRPF respectfully urges the Government of Punjab and the concerned federal authorities to take immediate notice of this public issue and relocate the Passport Office from the private housing society to the main District Complex, where all other major public institutions are already functioning.
Relocating the Passport Office to the District Complex would:
Improve accessibility for the public
Reduce unnecessary transportation costs
Facilitate senior citizens, women, and disabled persons
Ensure administrative coordination among departments
Strengthen transparency and public confidence
Promote equal access to essential government services
The Human Rights Protection Foundation firmly believes that public offices should be established at locations that prioritize public convenience, accessibility, affordability, and transparency rather than private interests.
The competent authorities are requested to address this matter urgently in the larger interest of the people of Mandi Bahauddin.
Human Rights Protection Foundation Pakistan.
Www.hrpf.org
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