Blue passport for ex-MNAs and senators: Senate passes bill dropping the full-term rule

The Senate on Monday, 19 October, passed a bill that would let former members of the National Assembly and former senators keep an official blue passport even if they left Parliament before completing a full term. The bill now needs the National Assembly's approval before it can become law.

The amendment, moved by Senator Abdul Qadir, adds a new Section 3-A to the Passports Act, 1974, Dawn reported. It covers lawmakers who served less than five years as an MNA or six years as a senator, including those who filled the rest of someone else's term.

What the rule is now

Under the Passport Rules 2021, only former parliamentarians who completed at least one full term in either House qualify for the blue (official) passport. The new bill removes that condition. Its stated aim is to bring former lawmakers in line with other senior officials who keep the facility after leaving office.

Families left out

A second bill, which would have extended blue passports to the spouses of former members and their dependent children up to the age of 28, did not go through after treasury members opposed it on the floor. A Senate committee had cleared that proposal in July, which drew public criticism at the time.

Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry told the House the government had no objection to lawmakers holding blue passports but would not support extending them to families. He said the number of official passports in circulation had been cut from about 75,000 to 45,000 after some 30,000 inactive ones were cancelled, and that a bill to withdraw the facility from the children of retired bureaucrats would be moved soon.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said official passports were meant for official business and should be regulated. He also suggested ending the six-year requirement for senators so that the rule matches the one for MNAs.

PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali objected to the interior ministry's no-objection certificate now required for parliamentarians' blue passports and said he would move a privilege motion.

What happens next

• The bill goes to the National Assembly. If both Houses pass it, it becomes law after the President's assent.
• Nothing changes for ordinary (green) passport holders. Fees and processing times for the regular passport stay as they are.

If you are applying for or renewing an ordinary passport, our passport fee calculator shows the current normal, urgent and fast-track fees by page count.

Why it matters

A blue passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry to more countries than the ordinary passport and is meant for people travelling on government business. Who keeps it after leaving office has been argued over for years, and the families clause is what drew most of the criticism in July.