The Federal Constitutional Court on Monday restored key provisions of the Passport and Immigration Rules, reinstating the government’s authority to deactivate passports and place citizens on the Passport Control List (PCL), according to official proceedings.
Read More: Surrender passports and walk out a free man, court tells Dr Asim
A two-member bench headed by Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi heard the case and issued notices to all parties while suspending a previous decision of the Lahore High Court that had struck down certain provisions of the rules. The court declared the federal government’s appeal as admissible and ordered that the matter will remain under hearing indefinitely.
عدالتی فیصلے کے بعد اب حکومت کے پاس شہریوں کے نام پاسپورٹ کنٹرول لسٹ میں شامل کرنے اور ان کے پاسپورٹ غیر فعال کرنے کا قانونی اختیار دوبارہ واپس آگیا۔https://t.co/PgriXvkwby#FederalConstitutionalCourt #PassportControlList #GovernmentAuthority #LegalRuling #Judiciary #PakistanLaw… pic.twitter.com/vi0bWuhx33
— Aaj TV Urdu (@Aaj_Urdu) April 27, 2026
With the restoration of the provisions, authorities have regained the legal power to restrict or deactivate passports of individuals flagged under immigration or security concerns. The decision also reinstates the government’s authority to include names in the PCL, a mechanism used to monitor and restrict foreign travel in specific cases.
During the hearing, the bench questioned the nature of the case, asking whether it involved illegal migration through irregular routes. The Additional Attorney General informed the court that the matter concerned a citizen named Farhan Ali, who had allegedly travelled illegally to Iran and was later deported. Following this, his name was placed on the PCL and his passport was deactivated, which he subsequently challenged in court.
The court also inquired about the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) role and whether proper investigations had been conducted regarding the individual’s activities, including allegations of involvement in facilitating illegal travel abroad.
The government argued that the Lahore High Court had previously struck down Rules 3 and 10 of the Passport and Immigration framework, limiting enforcement powers. The federal authorities maintained that such restrictions hindered efforts to control illegal migration networks.
Read More: No passport for asylum seekers policy challenged in Supreme Court
After hearing preliminary arguments, the court suspended the earlier verdict and adjourned the case indefinitely, allowing the government’s appeal to proceed for detailed examination.