Senate blocks move to withdraw diplomatic passport privilege from advisers, state ministers

AI Summary

Pakistan's Senate rejected a motion to introduce a bill that would limit diplomatic-passport eligibility for ministers of state, advisers, special assistants, and certain senior officials. The proposed amendment to the Passports Act 1974 would have ended automatic entitlement based solely on office while preserving other lawful passport entitlements.

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Monday blocked a private member’s bill seeking to withdraw the free-for-all issuance of diplomatic passports to ministers of state, advisers, special assistants and senior bureaucrats and rejected the motion for introduction of the Passports (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The bill was moved by PTI Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, along with senators Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Saifullah Abro. Declaring his opposition to the bill, State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said, “You are bringing an amendment to the authority of the cabinet which you have not seen.” To this, Senator Faisal responded that the bill was about diplomatic passports, which only ministers should have. “There should be no distribution in the issuance of diplomatic passports,“ he observed. PPP Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro argued that a minister of state is also a representative of the Parliament. According to the copy of the bill available with Dawn, it sought to amend the Passports Act 1974 by inserting a new Section 12A for restriction on diplomatic passport entitlement of ministers of state, advisers, special assistants, federal secretaries and director generals. It provided that no diplomatic passport shall be issued, re-issued or renewed to a minister of state, adviser to the prime minister, special assistant to the prime minister, federal secretaries other than the foreign secretary, or director general, by virtue of holding such office, and any such passport already held shall be surrendered to the prescribed authority within 30 days of commencement of the Act. The proposed bill clarified that nothing shall prevent such persons from obtaining or retaining an ordinary or official passport where otherwise entitled, and nothing shall affect any independent entitlement arising by virtue of any other office, appointment or diplomatic assignment which lawfully carries such entitlement. The bill’s statement of objects and reasons noted that the Passports Rules 2021 provide for the issuance of diplomatic passports to various categories of public office holders, including state ministers and functionaries having the status of minister of state. “A diplomatic passport is a special travel document of the state, and its issuance should primarily correspond to the nature and requirements of diplomatic or state functions rather than operate automatically as a privilege attached to rank or status,” the bill read. It said the proposed amendment would not restrict official duties or official foreign travel, as a person may continue to obtain an ordinary or official passport where otherwise entitled. The bill sought only to provide that holding, or having previously held, the office or status of minister of state, adviser, special assistant, federal secretary other than foreign secretary, or director general shall not, by itself, constitute an entitlement to a diplomatic passport. It argued that the proposed amendment was intended to ensure a clear and reasonable distinction between diplomatic functions and political status and to promote a transparent and purpose-based system for issuance of diplomatic passports. Heated exchange among allies triggers PPP walkout The Upper House also witnessed an exchange of hot words between PML-N’s Nasir Butt and PPP’s Sherry Rehman during the passage of the Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2026. The bill, moved by Senator Zehri of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), was passed despite the PML-N-led government’s opposition. Butt asked who the PPP was supporting, with PPP senators walking out after the episode. The consumer protection bill secured 10 votes in favour and four against, after a vote was allowed for the second time. Chaudhry opposed the bill, while Zehri criticised the government for opposing the legislation, saying it neither worked itself nor allowed others to work. The House also unanimously passed a bill to amend the law banning plastic book covers in the federal capital to remove an exemption clause that allowed its misuse. The bill, moved by PPP’s Senator Rehman, sought to amend the Islamabad Capital Territory (Prohibition of Plastic Book Covers) Act 2026. According to the statement of objects and reasons, the principal Act was enacted with the object of regulating and prohibiting the use of plastic book covers within ICT. “During the examination of the provisions of the said Act, it has been considered necessary to review the exceptions and other provisions contained in section 3, particularly clause (a) of sub-section (2) thereof,” it read, adding that the continued retention of the said clause may result in an exception which is inconsistent with the intended purpose of the Act. Speaking on the occasion, Senator Rehman said plastic covers were still being used on books in some big shops in Islamabad. She said a meeting with the Ministry of Interior had also been held on the issue. “During checking, shopkeepers