Constitutional Court Restores Passport Rules, Grants Government Authority to Invalidate Passports

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court has restored previously struck-down provisions of the Passport and Immigration Rules, reinstating the government’s authority to place citizens on the Passport Control List and declare passports invalid.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi issued notices to the parties and suspended the earlier ruling of the Lahore High Court, while admitting the government’s appeal for hearing.
With the restoration of these provisions, authorities can once again include individuals’ names in the Passport Control List and suspend or deactivate their passports under specific circumstances.
During the hearing, Justice Rizvi questioned whether the case involved individuals attempting illegal migration, commonly referred to as “Dunki” routes.
Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman informed the court that a citizen, Farhan Ali, had illegally traveled to Iran and was later deported. Following the violation, his name was added to the Passport Control List, and his passport was deactivated—actions that were subsequently challenged in court.
The bench also inquired whether the individual had personally attempted to migrate illegally or was involved in facilitating others for money, and asked about the status of the investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The law officer stated that detailed information from the FIA had not yet been obtained. He added that the Lahore High Court had earlier struck down Rules 3 and 10 of the Passport and Immigration framework.
The Constitutional Court, after suspending the High Court’s decision, adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.