hardcore
MPA (400+ posts)
MY WORST EXPERIENCE AT PAKISTAN CONSULATE,BIRMINGHAM UK
I would like to share awful experience i had yesterday with Pakistan consulate Birmingham UK
I needed to attest power of attorney and get the NICOP card.I telephoned all the consulates (London,Birmingham,Bradford and Glasgow) as per the number given on the website but to no avail.I had been ringing them for few days and did leave a email couple of months back.They did not reply at all.Finally somebody from Bradford and Birmingham took the call and give the conflicting information.Even then i decided to go in person as the matter was urgent.i chose Birmingham as it was nearest city(the consulate is not in the city where i live).
When i reached the destination i found the place smaller than the house i live. their was queue to the door and people were just standing on the stairs.it just split between left and right.No body was there to welcome or give information regarding NADRA/ passport services whatsoever.After waiting in the queue having realised this was not right place i went up to the office braving the queue.Got my token and was told to make 3 sets of copies of documents i have got for attestation. i recognised him from the voice and told him you did not ask me to get 3 sets of copies on phone day before yesterday.He was rude and started shouting.He then pointed me to the direction of photocopy machine. I did not want to get into argument and decided to be patient.
i put few coins and the machines turned out to be not functioning at all.No staff to be seen who could assist with the obsolete machine.I had to jump on next machine without recovering my money which got wasted.Photocopies were also costly.
even though i had the token number people who came after me were seen before me.Senior member of staff came all of a sudden from nowhere,shouting at the colleague who was serving me.This should not have happened.He just embarrassed him in front of all people.On my submission of documents,I was asked to come for collection at 4 pm even though their was just one stamp needed.I had 5 hours to kill.I could not possibly go back to another town and then expected to comeback.I took a day off from work.
I went back downstairs for NICOP and queue up again at the front door where the queue was moving at the snail pace.There was no waiting area.we were all standing on the stairs for hours and hours.I felt bad for 2 white ladies.One was told after couple of hours standing in the queue that she did not have all the documents.The other one was in front of me with 4 kids.
Now the NADRA facilities was all in one room( reception desk,photograph,data entry) smaller then the room you would expect in any house.It was fully packed with people.Since their was not waiting area,people have to confined themselves to that room for next stage of the application.
It was a cash only services.Luckily i had exact (42) gave to him for 6 weeks postal delivery.This fees could not be justified given the duration of the service.The guy was contradicting the information given on the website. I asked a question for my friend ,whether the students are exempt from the fees?He said he was not aware of.Instead he made it up that 'it would be only for scholarship students' which was not true.He put the money in his pocket and was gone without explaining the further procedure.I had to wait and try finding things written on the wall if it could help.
Since the small room was fully packed their was no data protection and confidentiality.I waited long for picture to be taken and then another hour for data to be entered as their was only 2 staff members who was dealing long queue leading to the from door.By that time it was 4 pm and their was another queue for collection of documents.I had to join them and once i got my documents i did not look back. Just wanted to go far away from this horrible place.
To conclude this place was absolute shambles mucky,small,people were running like headless chicken with no body to assist.The staff was unprofessional(not even educated),find it difficult to communicate.They were bunch of ignorant morons who don't know how to speak to humans.The staff is very rude, don't explain things properly.completely useless.They have been employed to facilitate overseas Pakistanis but they pretend they are doing us a massive favour.The website is not updated fora decade.Their is no facilities such as parking,waiting room,air conditioning,heating. Don't expect them to answer your telephone call.Elderly/disable people are also made to wait on the stair case. No confidentiality everyone knows your business in there No data protection your photo's and finger prints are literally taken in front of everyone.Oh be sure to make a few trips there as they never know there own requirements they always seem to forget to tell you something.
It was worse than i would have ever imagine.You would expect to get good service in country like UK.I realised that service in Pakistan was not that bad.I would NOT recommend anyone to go there.
What kind of message they are giving to the overseas Pakistanis.
GET RID OF THEM ALL !!!
I would like to share awful experience i had yesterday with Pakistan consulate Birmingham UK
I needed to attest power of attorney and get the NICOP card.I telephoned all the consulates (London,Birmingham,Bradford and Glasgow) as per the number given on the website but to no avail.I had been ringing them for few days and did leave a email couple of months back.They did not reply at all.Finally somebody from Bradford and Birmingham took the call and give the conflicting information.Even then i decided to go in person as the matter was urgent.i chose Birmingham as it was nearest city(the consulate is not in the city where i live).
When i reached the destination i found the place smaller than the house i live. their was queue to the door and people were just standing on the stairs.it just split between left and right.No body was there to welcome or give information regarding NADRA/ passport services whatsoever.After waiting in the queue having realised this was not right place i went up to the office braving the queue.Got my token and was told to make 3 sets of copies of documents i have got for attestation. i recognised him from the voice and told him you did not ask me to get 3 sets of copies on phone day before yesterday.He was rude and started shouting.He then pointed me to the direction of photocopy machine. I did not want to get into argument and decided to be patient.
i put few coins and the machines turned out to be not functioning at all.No staff to be seen who could assist with the obsolete machine.I had to jump on next machine without recovering my money which got wasted.Photocopies were also costly.
even though i had the token number people who came after me were seen before me.Senior member of staff came all of a sudden from nowhere,shouting at the colleague who was serving me.This should not have happened.He just embarrassed him in front of all people.On my submission of documents,I was asked to come for collection at 4 pm even though their was just one stamp needed.I had 5 hours to kill.I could not possibly go back to another town and then expected to comeback.I took a day off from work.
I went back downstairs for NICOP and queue up again at the front door where the queue was moving at the snail pace.There was no waiting area.we were all standing on the stairs for hours and hours.I felt bad for 2 white ladies.One was told after couple of hours standing in the queue that she did not have all the documents.The other one was in front of me with 4 kids.
Now the NADRA facilities was all in one room( reception desk,photograph,data entry) smaller then the room you would expect in any house.It was fully packed with people.Since their was not waiting area,people have to confined themselves to that room for next stage of the application.
It was a cash only services.Luckily i had exact (42) gave to him for 6 weeks postal delivery.This fees could not be justified given the duration of the service.The guy was contradicting the information given on the website. I asked a question for my friend ,whether the students are exempt from the fees?He said he was not aware of.Instead he made it up that 'it would be only for scholarship students' which was not true.He put the money in his pocket and was gone without explaining the further procedure.I had to wait and try finding things written on the wall if it could help.
Since the small room was fully packed their was no data protection and confidentiality.I waited long for picture to be taken and then another hour for data to be entered as their was only 2 staff members who was dealing long queue leading to the from door.By that time it was 4 pm and their was another queue for collection of documents.I had to join them and once i got my documents i did not look back. Just wanted to go far away from this horrible place.
To conclude this place was absolute shambles mucky,small,people were running like headless chicken with no body to assist.The staff was unprofessional(not even educated),find it difficult to communicate.They were bunch of ignorant morons who don't know how to speak to humans.The staff is very rude, don't explain things properly.completely useless.They have been employed to facilitate overseas Pakistanis but they pretend they are doing us a massive favour.The website is not updated fora decade.Their is no facilities such as parking,waiting room,air conditioning,heating. Don't expect them to answer your telephone call.Elderly/disable people are also made to wait on the stair case. No confidentiality everyone knows your business in there No data protection your photo's and finger prints are literally taken in front of everyone.Oh be sure to make a few trips there as they never know there own requirements they always seem to forget to tell you something.
It was worse than i would have ever imagine.You would expect to get good service in country like UK.I realised that service in Pakistan was not that bad.I would NOT recommend anyone to go there.
What kind of message they are giving to the overseas Pakistanis.
GET RID OF THEM ALL !!!
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