ISLAMABAD:
The Senate Permanent Interior Committee approved a bill on Wednesday to issue blue passports to senators, amid a heated debate over allegations of misuse of official passports and asylum records abroad.
During the committee meeting, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry raised concerns over the misuse of blue passports, saying a son of MP Iqbal Afridi had traveled to Europe on a blue passport before later reaching Italy and seeking asylum there.
“He made the passport blue there, which embarrassed Pakistan,” Talal Chaudhry told the committee, adding that such incidents negatively affect Pakistan’s international reputation.
The minister said the government had tightened rules regarding diplomatic and official passports and significantly reduced their number.
He noted that whenever Pakistan discusses visa-free arrangements or signs MoUs with other countries, questions are raised on the number of blue passports issued by Pakistan.
“Blue passports are often misused. Other countries are reluctant to sign MoUs with us because of such cases,” he said. Committee members asked for details on the total number of blue passports issued over the past decade.
Senator Talha Mahmood called for complete records of everyone who received a blue passport. Senator Abdul Qadir claimed that around 60,000 people currently hold blue passports, although Talal Chaudhry maintained that this number had now been significantly reduced.
Some members argued that senators who complete at least three years should be entitled to blue passports. The committee chairman observed that parliamentarians should be facilitated in this regard. The committee then approved the bill concerning the issuance of blue passports to senators.
