Senate Committee Approves Bill Extending Blue Passports to Dependents of Former Parliamentarians

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control has unanimously approved a private member’s bill that would allow dependent children of former members of Parliament, up to the age of 28, to receive blue official passports.

The Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2026, presented by Senator Abdul Qadir, was approved during a meeting chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem. Under the proposed amendment, the dependent children of former parliamentarians would be granted the same passport facility currently available to the children of retired Grade-22 government officers.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry supported the bill, stating that the committee’s recommendations would be forwarded to the federal cabinet for final consideration.

During the meeting, committee members also discussed the possible implications of the proposed policy, including its potential impact on Pakistan’s international passport standing. Despite these concerns, the bill was unanimously cleared for the next stage of the legislative process.

The committee also reviewed the alleged disappearance of cigarettes worth Rs250 million from warehouses operated by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). FBR officials maintained that the names of the officers concerned could not be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) until legal proceedings were completed, a position that committee members rejected.

Lawmakers also expressed reservations over the FBR’s internal inquiry, alleging that responsibility had been shifted to junior staff while senior officials were being shielded. Officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed the committee that evidence had emerged indicating the possible involvement of several officers, including a deputy collector, although the investigation is still ongoing.

The committee further reviewed the policy regarding the allocation of non-customs-paid vehicles to government institutions and directed the FBR to provide a complete list of such vehicles.

In addition, members discussed the security of Senator Saifullah Abro, an alleged kidnapping and forced marriage case in Islamabad, and the overall law and order situation in the country. The committee decided to establish a three-member panel to oversee the investigation into the alleged forced marriage case and emphasized the need for more effective use of police resources and improvements in the security system.