A bill seeking to extend official blue passport facilities to parliamentarians and their families was introduced in Pakistan’s Senate on Tuesday, drawing rare support from both government and opposition members.
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During the upper house session, Senator Abdul Qadir presented the Passport Act Amendment Bill 2026, proposing that former members of parliament and their eligible family members be granted access to official blue passports.
According to the bill’s statement of objectives, retired federal secretaries in grade 22, along with their spouses and dependent children, currently receive complimentary official passports. However, former parliamentarians are not included in the same category.
A new bill has been introduced in the Senate seeking to extend eligibility for blue (official) passports to the children of senators until the age of 28, triggering debate over existing passport regulations and privileges for public office holders.
According to local media… pic.twitter.com/elrcc3r9Su
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The proposed amendment argues that individuals who have served the state at a high level should be treated equally in terms of official privileges, making it necessary to extend similar facilities to former lawmakers.
Senator Abdul Qadir also introduced another amendment related to the salaries and allowances of parliamentarians under the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1974. The amendment seeks changes to subsection 4 of section 12, with immediate implementation proposed upon approval.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry opposed the passport bill, warning that misuse of official passports can negatively affect Pakistan’s international passport standing and credibility.
He said rules regarding blue passports for children of parliamentarians are already clearly defined and cautioned against broadening eligibility without safeguards.
As debate intensified, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani reportedly noted the mood of the house and suggested that if the bill were put to a vote immediately, the government could face defeat.
To avoid a direct vote, the chairman advised referring the matter to the relevant standing committee for further review, where the bill was subsequently sent.
The discussion highlighted a rare moment of alignment between treasury and opposition benches on a matter involving privileges for lawmakers.
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Separately, the National Assembly approved the Islamabad Mandatory Thalassemia Screening Bill and the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Amendment Bill. The passport proposal is expected to face further scrutiny in committee before any final legislative decision is made.