Islamabad: The Senate has unanimously passed a bill to amend the Passports Act, 1974, while calling for an immediate end to the issuance of blue passports to children of government officers.
According to Express News, the Senate session was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasir. Senator Abdul Qadir presented a bill seeking further amendments to the Passports Act, 1974. The deputy chairman put the motion to a vote, following which the House unanimously approved it.
Either End Blue Passports for Government Employees or Give Them to Us: Abdul Qadir
Senator Abdul Qadir said that children of government officers in Grade 21 were entitled to blue passports, while a person elected as a member of the National Assembly also received a blue passport.
“We want the same principle to be applied to senators. Either blue passports for government employees should also be abolished, or they should be issued to us as well,” he said.
Children of Government Officers Should Not Receive Blue Passports: Law Minister
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that, in the National Assembly, taking the oath once is considered sufficient to establish the term of office. However, senators do not receive official passports until they complete their six-year term.
He said the interior minister supported the proposal to issue passports to senators in the same manner as members of the National Assembly.
The law minister added that children of retired Grade 21 and Grade 22 government officers should not receive blue passports either, urging the interior minister to address the matter.
Blue Passports for Children of Government Officers Should Be Stopped: Talal Chaudhry
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the government opposed issuing passports to former parliamentarians. He added that if children of government officers were receiving blue passports, the practice should be stopped.
He said the issue of blue passports directly affected the country’s passport ranking.
“When we discuss visa-free entry with another country, they ask us about our blue passports. We tell them that there are 75,000 blue passports in our country,” he said.
Talal Chaudhry added that the number of blue passports had already been reduced.
Requiring Interior Ministry NOC for Parliamentarians Is an Insult: Abid Sher Ali
Senator Abid Sher Ali said members of Parliament had to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Interior Ministry to get blue passports.
He described the requirement as an insult and a violation of their rights.
“Is this our standing as senators? Why should I obtain an NOC from the Interior Ministry to get a passport?” he asked.
Cancel Blue Passports of Retired Government Officers and Their Children: Nasir Butt
Senator Nasir Butt also questioned why he had to obtain an NOC from the Interior Ministry for a blue passport, saying the practice should end.
“There are 78,000 blue passports in this country. Those people have retired, and their children also have blue passports. Cancel their passports and let them rest at home,” he said.
Objection to Interior Ministry NOC Requirement: Faisal Saleem Rehman
Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman said the deputy chairman of the Senate should receive a diplomatic passport rather than an official passport.
He said the Interior Ministry had made an NOC mandatory for members of Parliament, adding that parliamentarians objected to the requirement.
He also said that children of parliamentarians received blue passports, but these were not issued after retirement.
Talal Chaudhry, the minister of state for interior, said that if the passports held by former bureaucrats had been issued improperly, parliamentarians could introduce a bill, and the government would support it.
He added that no one had asked them for an NOC and that no one had asked parliamentarians for an NOC either.
According to him, anyone applying for a passport undergoes high-level verification, while the rules allow members of Parliament to receive passports valid for two years.
Deputy Chairman of the Senate Syedal Khan Nasir questioned why the deputy chairman of the Senate was not entitled to a diplomatic passport.
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