The caretaker government took a big decision to prevent the issuance of illegal passports to Afghans and the theft of sensitive data, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Monday.
The federal government enforced the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PICA) to permanently block access to passports and other sensitive data.
Entry to important offices in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi was banned except for certain officers.
The government took the step to prevent unauthorized persons from accessing and sharing information from the data warehouses and production halls of the passport offices - where e-passports and passport data entry are done.
The federal cabinet approved the summary of the Ministry of Interior through a circular. Reports claimed that more than 12,000 foreigners obtained Pakistani passports illegally. The security of the passport offices has also been enhanced. Violators will face at least one year of imprisonment