HAIL/BURAIDAH — The Passport Department's (Jawazat) ambitious project to keep its offices free of people who come to obtain various services has hit a snag after many companies and individuals failed to activate Wasil postal service due to lack of complete address. The department announced that it will implement the project from beginning of the new Hijrah year 1437 (Oct. 14, 2015) and asked the public not to visit its offices in various parts of the country. But the project did not take off as planned because of the Wasil delay. Okaz reporters in major cities found a large number of people still visiting Jawazat offices. In Hail, for example, there were long queues of people in the department's halls as they came either to submit their applications or receive their documents. Visitors said they had to come to Jawazat office because most companies have not uploaded their correct addresses to the department's Muqeem system. Abdul Aziz Kafa, who works as a liaison officer or muaqib in a private company, said it was easy to activate Wasil service electronically, adding that many individuals have done that without difficulty. "Company managers have to show interest to activate the service," he added. Col. Sulaiman Bin Mohammed Al-Khalil, spokesman of Jawazat in Hail, said the activation of Wasil through Muqeem and Abshir services will help companies save a lot of time and energy. It will enable companies to receive resident permits of their foreign workers by post. "This will help the department realize its prestigious project of offices without people who come to follow up applications for various services," Al-Khalil said. Passport offices in Qassim also witnessed the presence of a large number of people and most of them came to receive documents for which they applied through Abshir while others came to submit documents for various services. Maj. Hammad Al-Motairy, spokesman of the passport department in Qassim, said offices without service-seeking people is a strategic objective of the department, adding that it would help Jawazat extend quality electronic services to customers. "Companies and individuals can receive most services through the department's Abshir and Muqeem electronic platforms," Al-Motairy told Okaz/Saudi Gazette.
